


How to Kiss a Pony in Seven Days

by charcolor



Series: Twinkie in Seven Days [1]
Category: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Genre: Anxiety, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-03-04 15:22:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13367520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charcolor/pseuds/charcolor
Summary: After a while, Pinkie Pie finally recognizes her growing affection for Twilight Sparkle, and she can't live with herself if she keeps it secret.Unfortunately, it's not an easy thing to admit to such a lovely pony.





	1. Sunday

**Author's Note:**

> this takes place at the same time as How to Fall in Love in Seven Days. i wrote this first, but if you decide to read that one before this one it doesn't really make a difference.

Pinkie Pie wasn't much of an early riser, but today was different. The sun hadn't even started to glow over the horizon, so the moon still shed light on what could be seen from her window. Even in the dark, the leaves on the trees were still vibrant, warm colors, and if she opened the window the cold night would only make the chilly breeze even more icy.

It was autumn. More importantly, it was almost Applejack's birthday, and she still needed a cake. That was today's mission, to make Applejack the best birthday cake she'd ever taste--at least, until next year. Or the next time Pinkie made a birthday cake for somepony else and Applejack happened to eat some. She liked to think her baking was always improving, and so far nothing seemed to go against that.

Twilight Sparkle was going to come over to help her, but Pinkie doubted she'd be awake this early. She'd probably be here in a few hours, but she couldn't possibly wait that long. The earlier she started, the better. But she didn't want to start without Twilight around. It wouldn't feel right.

If she kept thinking about this dilemma, it would only make it worse. Luckily, Gummy was waking up too, so Pinkie could talk to him as a distraction.

"Do you know what day it is, Gummy?" Pinkie kept her voice low, since the Cakes were no doubt still asleep. Gummy was a smart little alligator that wouldn't need to listen too hard anyway, but he didn't seem to know what day it was, so Pinkie answered for him. "It's a baking day! Twilight's gonna come over and help me bake and you can help too, okay?"

Gummy replied with just a lazy blink. His eyelids seemed to somehow shudder a little.

Pinkie chuckled softly. "Don't be nervous! You're the best baking baby alligator in the whole world! And you've helped me bake for Applejack before, remember? You know what she likes in cake?"

Gummy happily rolled onto his back.

"That's right! She likes vanilla! And of course, we need to put peeled apple slices on top!" Pinkie kissed Gummy on his scaly forehead. "You're a smart cookie, you know that? Oh, we better make cookies too! I bet Applejack would like that! Who doesn't like cookies? I mean, there's so many different kinds, it'd be really hard not to like a single one, you know?"

Gummy blinked slowly.

Pinkie nodded. "You're right, the cake is the most important thing. But how am I supposed to start without Twilight? I don't wanna leave her out." She could just set up the kitchen, but all the rummaging in there would probably wake up everypony else in the building, and it wasn't worth the risk. In fact, there was really nothing she could do right now. "Maybe I should just try to go back to sleep," she sighed.

But just as Pinkie pulled back her blanket, something thudded behind her. She flinched and turned to see purple eyes looking through her window. "Twilight?"

Pinkie didn't lock the door to the balcony, so Twilight was able to open it. She smiled sheepishly and waved. "I didn't know if you were awake."

"Then why'd you come over?"

"You don't close your curtains," Twilight answered, "so I figured if I saw you awake we could get started early."

Pinkie grinned. This was perfect, she wouldn't have to wait for Twilight or start baking without her! But her smile faded when she remembered the other problem. "But I don't wanna wake anypony up."

Twilight tapped a hoof to her chin in thought. "I could make a bubble, but I'm not sure if I could be able to actually help much with baking."

Pinkie tilted her head. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"If I lose my concentration while keeping up a bubble of silence, it'll pop," Twilight explained. "And it's kind of loud when pops. Multitasking certainly wouldn't help."

Pinkie fell back on her bed. "I guess we'll have to wait after all," she sighed.

"I'm sorry."

Pinkie smiled at her, hoping to give her some reassurance. "Why? Is it your fault that it's five in the morning and the Cakes don't wake up this early?"

That made Twilight chuckle softly. It was always wonderful to hear her laugh like that, so Pinkie started to giggle with her. She stopped when Twilight pulled herself up to sit beside her on the bed, her wings tight against her body. She turned her deep purple gaze to Pinkie, still lying on her back. "Um...I can come back later--"

Pinkie immediately shook her head and sat back up. It was a miracle Twilight showed up at all this early in the morning, so she had to hold onto that for as long as possible. "No, no, don't go! I'll be  _so_  bored! There's not a lot you can do when you're trying to be quiet!"

"Well, talking isn't really something you can do, either."

Oh, that was true. They'd been trying to speak softly, but Pinkie was starting to get too excitable, and forgetting to keep her voice down. She had a feeling that if she kept talking to Twilight she'd end up shouting and making the Cakes tired and grumpy.

But she still definitely didn't want Twilight to leave. Pinkie was too energetic now to sleep again, and waiting for the next three or so hours alone in a dark room would probably make her antsy. Of course, she had Gummy, but he'd already fallen back asleep, and Pinkie couldn't take that away from him.

The only real option was to leave the bakery.

"We could go somewhere else," Pinkie suggested. "And we'll know when to come back when we see the sun come up."

With Twilight's agreement, they left the bakery, Twilight closing the door so they would make as little noise as possible. "Let's go somewhere to watch the sunrise," Twilight said, with a smile.

Pinkie nodded. She knew Twilight loved that sort of thing, so there was no one better to watch a sunrise with. "Where do you wanna go?"

Twilight's grin widened, and she whipped open her wings. "Get on, I'll take you."

"Ooh, you're gonna fly there?"

When Twilight nodded in response, Pinkie clapped her hooves together before wrapping them around Twilight's breast and climbing onto her back. She felt the backs of the lavender wings fluff up around her. Twilight took off suddenly, without any warning, but that was fine. It made the whole experience of being up in the wind, just a misstep from falling to the ground, a bit more thrilling.

Pinkie tried to be quiet, but she couldn't contain her excitement. It started with a giggle, then she squealed with joy. That seemed to prompt Twilight to laugh a little too, before she finally grounded her hooves in chilly grass. They were on a hill, and Twilight pointed in the direction where a horizon, still dark and fuzzy, was visible. "You can see the sunrise perfectly from here," she said. "It took me a week or so to find the best place, so I still haven't shown anypony else."

"Is this a secret?" Pinkie glanced around to ensure nopony was eavesdropping. If this was Twilight's secret, Pinkie had to keep it safe at all costs. "Did you have to do something magical to get here?"

Twilight chuckled, as she wrapped a wing around Pinkie. "No, no, there's nothing magical about this place. Or secret. I guess not a lot of ponies are enthusiastic about the sunrise."

"I am!"

"You don't count. You're enthusiastic about _everything_."

Pinkie laughed, because it was true. Even everything about right now was something to be excited about. The light feathers brushed against her back and the cold ground contrasting with the warmth in her heart, it was all so wonderful. "Plus," she spoke, "I always oversleep, so I haven't actually watched a sunrise in _forever_." Suddenly she pulled away from Twilight with a gasp of horror. "Oh, no, what if I fall asleep and I miss the sunrise?"

Twilight blinked for a second in silence, then smiled warmly. "Well, there's plenty--"

"You can't let that happen, Twilight!" She abruptly approached her, narrowing her eyes to try to intimidate Twilight. It was working, more or less, if Twilight's wide startled eyes were any indication. Pinkie then grabbed her shoulders. "You  _cannot_  let me sleep!"

Twilight smiled, and gently pressed her hoof against Pinkie's chest. "I don't think you need to worry about losing your energy, Pinkie."

Pinkie relaxed her glare, nodded and pulled back to sit on the grass. The horizon was still dark. "What time does the sun rise again?" she asked, her voice now much calmer.

"Princess Celestia usually raises the sun at six," Twilight answered, smiling a little, as if saying that brought a happy thought. "Give or take a half hour. And I'm not sure it's even half-past five yet."

Pinkie sighed, and fell on her back. Sometimes it could be frustrating to not know the time, and not have any way of finding out. "If only I'd taken the time to draw a watch."

"Wh--" Twilight burst into a short laugh. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was a fantastic moment, to hear that adorable giggle with her exhale, being caught off-guard by her own amusement. "Why? Did something happen to your real watch?"

"No," Pinkie answered, "but it'd be weird if I brought a watch, because I never wear one. So if I drew a watch I'd be able to make a really quick excuse to leave if I needed to. But I'm not that good at drawing anyway, so I don't think I could fool you."

"I don't think so either." Twilight fell on her back as well to be at Pinkie's eye level. "But it was about five when we left, so it should only be about an hour."

"An hour can be really long sometimes, though! Can't you ask Celestia to raise the sun a little earlier?"

"I'm not sure she'd appreciate me waking her up early."

"But what if she oversleeps? You have to make sure that doesn't happen!"

"Celestia doesn't oversleep. She's the ruler of Equestria."

"You think she's never overslept in the thousands of years she's been alive?"

Twilight opened her mouth a bit, but closed it without a response. After a moment she rolled onto her side to face Pinkie, with a small smile. "If she's half an hour late, I'll go check up on her, okay?"

"You're the best, Twilight!" Pinkie rolled over to pull Twilight in a hug. She felt something soft and feathery fall over her as Twilight returned the hug. Twilight's body was naturally cold, at least in comparison to her own, so Pinkie felt a calming chill against her. It wasn't cold like ice, it was more like the feel of lemonade on a hot day. She wondered if that meant Twilight got cold more easily than her. If so, it would be Pinkie's duty to hug her to keep her warm.

"Are you cold?" Pinkie asked, her head brushed against Twilight's chest. Obviously, she was, but she had to make sure Twilight was comfortable.

"Not especially," Twilight answered. "Do I feel cold?"

"Mm-hmm." Pinkie buried her head into Twilight's coat so that she could hear the faint sound of her pulse. It was steady for a moment, then it started to quicken and strengthen. Pinkie pulled back. The change was unsettling. "Are you okay?"

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked. Pinkie thought she saw a rosy light on her face, and looked over at the horizon, but the sun was still asleep. When she looked back at Twilight the color was gone.

"Never mind." It seemed rude to point out her heartbeat, and if Twilight didn't feel like anything was wrong, maybe it was just her imagination or something. Pinkie lay back on the grass, and they didn't speak to each other for a little while, until golden light finally cracked through the clouds.

Twilight gasped, and sat up to watch intently. Her eyes were widened, drinking in the sight she was seeing. The purple irises seemed to glimmer as the sunlight slowly washed over her. Her mane was a little messed up from lying in the grass, but it was incredible how the sunlight gradually highlighted each strand so nicely. Twilight smiled, and that show of her happiness seemed to make her sparkle even more, like if stars existed in the daytime. She was really beautiful. Probably as beautiful as the sunrise, but Pinkie couldn't make that comparison. She'd missed the sunrise. She was busy looking at Twilight the whole time and she hadn't even noticed, and now the sunrise was over.

But when it came down to it, she'd had rather witnessed Twilight's pure joy light up her face as she watched something she admired, so it was okay.

* * *

Pinkie's idea was to make a two-layer cake. She'd make the one on top and Twilight would make the one underneath. Afterward, they'd ice both layers together.

"What exactly do you want me to do?" Twilight asked.

Pinkie was already stirring up a mixture in her own bowl. She pulled her mouth off the handle of her spoon to answer. "Just do what you want! It'll be more exciting if the layers are different, right?"

Twilight's left ear folded down, as her eyes lowered. "Well, I don't know what you're doing, and I don't want to make flavors clash."

Pinkie tapped a hoof on the piece of parchment resting on the counter. "Nothing on this list clashes. Just make sure the cake itself is vanilla, Applejack likes vanilla cake!"

Twilight's ears perked up again, and she smiled. It made sense. Anypony who knew Twilight at all knew she loved anything organized and listed, so it was lucky Pinkie had a file on Applejack's preferences for her to refer to. They took turns looking at it, but they didn't reveal to each other what they were doing. Pinkie insisted that it had to be a surprise.

"I'm just afraid of messing up," Twilight admitted. "I doubt I could meet your standards."

Pinkie shrugged, as she sprinkled cinnamon in her batter. "My standards aren't that high. Shouldn't _I_ be the one meeting _your_ standards?"

"What do you mean by that?"

Actually, Twilight probably didn't have high standards, either. She'd always been so kind and openminded and accepting. Still, she was the smartest pony Pinkie ever knew, so just being aware of that made Pinkie feel a bit inferior. Not only that, but Twilight was a highly respected princess.

"Well, you're the best at everything," Pinkie told her. She kept her gaze on her cake batter. "Doesn't that make you hard to impress?"

"You're better than me at a lot of things, Pinkie."

"Maybe I could be better at baking, but you're really smart and you're good at analyzing and stuff, so if you read a few books about baking you'd probably be better than anypony." Saying this made Pinkie come to an awful realization, and she dropped her whisk to rush over to Twilight, holding her hooves to Twilight's chest. "Forget you heard that! I don't want you to get any ideas about running the Cakes out of business!"

Twilight was startled at first, dropping a measuring spoon from her aura--luckily it landed on the countertop and not the floor--but her shoulders relaxed, and she gave a small, reassuring smile. "I'd never do that, Pinkie. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't have the time."

She seemed sincere, so Pinkie released her so they could go back to their own sides of the kitchen. After a quiet moment, she heard Twilight speak again. "Rainbow Dash said something like that once, too."

"She didn't want you to run the Cakes out of business?" That seemed strange, but it was nice that Rainbow Dash cared that much.

But Twilight replied, "No, about me being good at everything. I don't know what it is with everypony acting like I'm some omniscient master of all trades. Is it--"

"Well, you _have_ to be a master of trades if they asked you to settle disputes at the Traders' Exchange, right?"

"It's an expression, Pinkie. Like jack of all trades, master of none. It's impossible to be a master of everything, but everypony seems to think I am." Twilight paused, then said a little more softly, "It wasn't like that before. I miss it."

"Before what? Before your coronation?"

"That's what it seems like. I'm certainly happy with being a princess, but I'm still just a pony."

That was true, but a bit ironic. "That's not what you said when I said Princess Celestia might oversleep," Pinkie pointed out.

"That's _different_ ," Twilight insisted. "Princess Celestia is probably the most powerful being in Equestria, if not the whole _world_. She's probably the oldest living being there is. By now there's no way she'd ever oversleep. In fact, she probably knows enough magic to keep herself awake. I could enchant my clock to wake me up once, so I'm sure she could do it every single day if she wanted to. I haven't been a princess for long enough to know everything, but Princess Celestia has. She's seen everything, and she's lived it, too..."

Pinkie was used to multitasking, so it was easy to listen to Twilight gush about Celestia while focusing on her baking at the same time. She listened to Twilight's words quicken, interrupting herself with an excited, adorable giggle at times, and Twilight's voice getting a bit higher, a bit more energized. This was what Twilight's happiness sounded like, and that made Pinkie happy, too. She gladly kept listening to her as she worked.

A couple of joyful hours later, both layers were finished. Twilight explained that for her layer, she used applesauce instead of oil, because she'd read it in a cookbook once and wanted to try it. It was so creative and clever that Pinkie pulled her into a tight hug. "She's gonna love it, Twilight! You're the best baking partner ever!"

"Are you sure?" Twilight asked, her voice tinted with worry. "It was pretty risky, wasn't it? I hope it wasn't a mistake."

"Well, that's perfect!" Pinkie wanted to give Twilight's forehead a small kiss, to reassure her she was fine, but she realized soon enough Twilight would have probably found it weird. Plus her horn would have gotten in the way a bit. It felt a bit strange; she usually didn't suddenly get an urge to kiss ponies. But Pinkie put that thought away and spoke again. "Applejack likes risky, and applesauce! She definitely likes risky applesauce! You did incredible, Twilight!"

Twilight pulled away, which made Pinkie feel a bit relieved and disappointed at the same time, but she didn't try to figure out why. She just listened to Twilight, who gestured to Pinkie's cake layer and asked, "What did you do?"

Pinkie took care to make her layer fluffy, and she'd sprinkled bits of cinnamon and chocolate, and threw in a tiny bit of melted marshmallow. It was a bit experimental, but she was confident that Applejack would enjoy it.

They iced the cake together with pale yellow. They took care of one side each then switched. As they did, their hooves brushed past each other briefly. It wasn't unusual, but for some reason it felt that way.

The thought she'd tried to put away came back, from that moment where she wanted to kiss Twilight. Why did that happen? She'd always admired Twilight, but how come only today she felt like this?

Once they finished decorating the cake, Pinkie was relieved. "Thank you for helping me," she said, but she was a little too afraid to look Twilight in the eye.

Twilight seemed to pick up on that. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

Something was definitely wrong. Something was wrong with Pinkie, but Twilight was the one pony she absolutely could not talk to about it right now. She pulled her eyes up to look at Twilight, who was putting the finished cake away for her. She was so kind and considerate. It made Pinkie feel guilty for lying, "No, I'm fine."

Apparently, it wasn't convincing. Twilight narrowed her eyes. "I've known you long enough to know you're  _not_ fine. And I can't make it better if you don't tell me."

"I can't tell you."

Pinkie didn't mean to say it, and she didn't mean to tremble and blush, but Twilight didn't seem to notice what Pinkie meant. "Maybe you should get some rest," she said slowly, with the smallest hesitation before each syllable. "I'll leave you alone, if that's what you want, but don't hold everything in, okay?"

As soon as Twilight was gone, Pinkie bolted up to the loft.

* * *

Gummy had been too sleepy to help bake, but he was awake by the time Pinkie had escaped to her room. He took a few slow steps toward her, but Pinkie shook her head and said, "I can't tell you about it either, Gummy. I don't want anypony to hear me."

It was hard to keep her thoughts shut away from Gummy. Pinkie almost wanted to tape her mouth shut as a precaution, but then she'd have to rip it off later, and that certainly wouldn't be pleasant. But in a few moments, she realized it was hard to put her thoughts into words in the first place.

From the day Twilight came to Ponyville, something definitely felt different. But it was such a baby butterfly in her heart that Pinkie had never noticed it until now, when it had grown with all the time she'd spent bonding with her.

When she felt like she needed protection, her first instinct was to cling to Twilight, because Twilight had always made her happy even without trying, and that made Pinkie feel safe around her. And every time she was around Twilight, she just wanted to hug her. Hugging Twilight felt so wonderful, like a dream. And eventually, all those things were so lovely that every little thing Twilight did made Pinkie happier.

And now, Pinkie was starting to feel like she wanted to kiss her, and hold her, and...

 _Love her_. That was it. She was in love.

She was in love with Twilight Sparkle.

She wondered why, but she already knew the answer. It was everything. Everything about Twilight, her compassion, her beauty, her smile, everything.

But what would be next? If Pinkie didn't say anything, it would be bottled up until it came spilling out when she least wanted it to, or it would burst and force her to stay away from Twilight forever. Nothing good would come from being quiet.

So tonight--or today, rather, since it wasn't even noon yet--Pinkie was going to prepare that confession.

"Somepony like her deserves to know she's loved that way, right?" Pinkie asked. Gummy wasn't a mind reader, but he'd probably figure out what she was talking about eventually. "It's only fair that I tell her. There's no harm in it anyway." She sat up on her bed, staring down at Gummy, who was a little busy inspecting the comforter. "I'll make it the best confession she's ever seen!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let's hope i can commit to this!  
> (also, i don't know anything about baking. the applesauce thing i googled, but the rest i made up. don't try this at home)  
> i hope i can continue this? i'm not good at love stories, but SOMEBODY has to write more twinkie fics and project her gay loneliness. i hope it's good enough for others


	2. Monday

Pinkie Pie hadn't seen Twilight for the rest of Sunday. She was hoping to meet with her today, but when she woke up she felt a strange weariness. That didn't make sense. Sleeping was supposed to make her  _less_ tired. But Pinkie quickly realized it wasn't necessarily fatigue she had. It was impending dread.

She'd planned to confess to Twilight today.

But no, suddenly it was horrifying. If Twilight didn't accept her feelings, their friendship would become tainted with awkwardness and eventually, inevitably ruined. That was the absolute worst thing that could happen to Pinkie, and the chances of Twilight Sparkle of all ponies liking her back was slim to none.

Still, there was absolutely no way Pinkie could just keep this secret. It would never die out, it would just burn her from the inside. The least she could do was learn to accept the possibility that Twilight didn't want to love her.

She knew right away who could help her with that.

* * *

"What do you  _mean,_ I don't have a chance with Rarity?"

Spike seemed baffled at the concept, but even Pinkie Pie knew there were a couple reasons why the relationship wouldn't work. One, Rarity was too old for Spike. Two, Rarity had recently realized she was a lesbian. But Pinkie didn't have the heart to tell Spike these things.

"I never said  _that!"_ Pinkie insisted. She wasn't being quiet at all, but Twilight wasn't in the castle right now anyway, so it was fine. "I just said you have a really tiny chance, and I have a really tiny chance with the pony I like. I'm doing research."

"On what?"

"I'll find out by the end of the week, I'm sure!"

Spike shrugged and started to turn the page of his comic book. "Who's the pony you like?"

Pinkie couldn't keep it a secret forever. But Spike couldn't know yet, either. "I can't tell you," she answered. "If I do, you're gonna end up accidentally telling Twilight that I have a crush on her."

Spike dropped his jaw, and his comic book. It fell to his lap, and the pages flipped to a close. But Spike wasn't looking down at it anymore, so he didn't seem to notice.

"You lost your place," Pinkie said.

Spike closed his mouth and instead of opening the book back up, he tossed it to the side and leaned forward. "You have a crush on  _Twilight?"_

Pinkie gasped. Was Spike psychic? Or did he just make a really lucky guess all of a sudden? Then she realized what she'd said a moment ago. Of course, she never said what she felt  _directly,_ but from Spike's bewilderment it was probably too late to point that out and convince him otherwise.

"You  _can't_ tell her!" Pinkie dropped down to his eye level to let him know she was serious, although he was already sitting on a stool, so it wasn't actually a very noticeable difference. "Please, please,  _please_ don't--"

"I wasn't gonna!" Spike interrupted, eyes wide. "Even if I wanted to, there's really no way to bring it up."

"Do you Pinkie Promise?"

Spike smiled a little as he nodded, crossed his heart, hoped to fly and stuck a cupcake in his eye. He didn't actually stick a cupcake in his eye, but he would if he broke the promise. Those were just the rules.

"It's just..." Spike rubbed the back of his neck. "I never really thought you could have a crush on anypony, I guess. Especially  _Twilight._ "

"Whaddya mean?"

Spike twiddled his claws in thought. "I dunno, I can't really explain it. I guess I've never seen you talk about anything like that."

"I don't talk about  _everything!_ I have a filter! Usually!"

"Well, you just told me, so I guess your filter's off."

Spike was right on this one. But he Pinkie Promised, so he could at least be trusted with her secret. The problem was that Pinkie wasn't sure how long it would be a secret. If she wasn't careful, she'd accidentally spill the beans to somepony who was a huge gossip and then word would spread and Twilight would find out and the whole plan would be ruined. After all, love confessions didn't work if you weren't the one doing them.

So Pinkie needed to keep away from everypony for the day. It didn't work the last time she had to keep a big secret, but this was different. It would really only hurt her in the long run if she wasn't careful. Isolating herself in the bakery seemed like a harmless idea.

But she met with a surprise after she left the castle. Actually, the surprise met her. Today was the one day Pinkie didn't go out of her way for this surprise, because it was the one day she didn't want to see her. The surprise was Twilight, if that wasn't clear.

"Oh, Pinkie!" She landed gracefully beside her with a smile. As always, seeing that smile made Pinkie feel a little better. "I'm sorry, I was with Rainbow Dash. Did you need me for something?"

"Nope!" Well, that wasn't entirely true, but Pinkie had a feeling "I'm in love with you and I want you to be my girlfriend" wasn't appropriate for this situation. 

But instead of believing her, Twilight tilted her head and scrunched her eyebrows. "Are you sure? Then what were you doing in the castle?"

Uh oh. That was incriminating.

"I, um..." Pinkie could just say she went to see Spike, but she couldn't tell why. And it probably would seem weird for her to visit Spike in the first place. There wasn't any way to lie, so she just said, "That's a secret."

"Is everything okay, Pinkie?" Twilight asked. She didn't seem suspicious of Pinkie at all, only confused and concerned. If only she wasn't so darn kind to her, they wouldn't be in this situation. 

"It's fine! I'll see you later!" Pinkie really didn't want to run away from Twilight like that. It was pretty rude of her. Hopefully she would be forgiven sometime soon.

Once Pinkie was back at the bakery, she was able to busy herself with the work she had to do. Applejack's birthday was tomorrow, and the party was already planned, so all that was left was for Pinkie to keep baking.

It was then she ended up thinking about Twilight again. The first time Twilight baked with her. It was during Fluttershy's very short-lived modeling career. Twilight had been stressed having to keep secrets from Fluttershy and Rarity on each of their behalves. Admittedly, it probably was Pinkie's fault that happened. She was the one who was so convinced that telling somepony else's secrets was one of the worst things a friend could do, and that was why she was so insistent that Twilight not tell. And Twilight not telling led to Fluttershy and Rarity being more frustrated with themselves.

It was better that Fluttershy and Rarity told their own secrets than Twilight doing it for them, but if Pinkie hadn't stressed out Twilight so much, things would've been easier on her. Twilight didn't seem to hold a grudge against her for that, though. They never really brought it up, so Pinkie never apologized, and it was too late now. Maybe it wasn't actually a big deal at all, but after a few months Pinkie had reflected on it and felt guilty.

But one good part of that time was when Twilight knocked excitedly on the bakery door. At that point Pinkie had started to have a crush on Twilight already, but of course she wouldn't recognize it until it grew stronger. So she had let Twilight in as soon as possible.

The first thing Twilight said when she saw her was "I got an idea!" She didn't give any context at first as to what the idea was for, but she was obviously happy, and that made Pinkie excited for her.

Twilight followed her into the kitchen so she could reveal her plan to sabotage Fluttershy's next performance to get her fired, so that both she and Rarity could be happy again without anypony having to keep secrets. She was so pleased with herself. After Pinkie promised her she would keep the plan a secret, Twilight offered to help with her work. She'd only been icing cupcakes, but she had another batch to start, so she and Twilight did it together.

Twilight always looked so pretty when she was happy. And she looked absolutely elated after they finished the cupcakes. She let Pinkie give her a tight embrace, she laughed so sweetly...they were really close to each other. Thinking about it now made Pinkie a little flustered, but only Gummy was around to see it, and he wouldn't tell anypony her secret, because he couldn't talk.

Well, maybe he could talk to Fluttershy, but they didn't interact much at all so it was probably okay.

A lot of the time, baking was in patterns. Cupcakes and cookies were always in the same shapes and sizes. It helped Pinkie calm down a little from earlier. Patterns were pretty neat. They set an example so you wouldn't have to waste time wondering what to do, and you could focus on following that example. 

If only there was something like that for love, huh?

No, Pinkie couldn't think about that right now. There wasn't a rush for anything. She needed to spend this time rolling up her cookie dough. They had to be perfectly smooth little spheres. No lumps or dents or defects. Exactly one inch apart from each other on the tray.

It didn't have to be this perfect, really, but it was an effective distraction.

But once the cookies were in the oven, there was nothing. The second Pinkie stopped fretting over the cookies, her mind wandered again to places it wasn't supposed to wander.

 _Get back here and stop thinking about Twilight,_ she scolded herself silently.

Well, it wasn't that bad, since she was alone. Pinkie had already told the Cakes that she was going to keep herself busy today. They were very understanding whenever Pinkie had this kind of problem, so Pinkie could be assured that nopony would walk in on her daydreaming.

But what would Twilight think of that? Pinkie had been really rude to her today when she ran off like that. Twilight seemed pretty worried about her, and maybe she'd be even more worried if Pinkie was refusing to interact with her, or anypony at all. Gosh, why was Twilight so sweet and kind and considerate all the time?

Maybe Pinkie's confession could be an apology, too. She could say, "I'm sorry for avoiding you, it was because I'm in love with you." But that was sloppy. Pinkie wasn't good at this.

She'd probably see Twilight again tomorrow at Applejack's party. She couldn't avoid her forever. But she couldn't confess there, either. It'd be a bit inappropriate to confess your love to somepony at somepony else's birthday party.

Well, Pinkie couldn't worry about that now. She had a long day of baking ahead, and by the time it was over everything would be figured out, for sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey!!!!!!!!! thanks for reading!!!!!!!! if we're lucky i'll end up finishing the whole fic! won't that be something else??  
> i hope this chapter is okay...i'm not good at. ending stuff. idk  
> oh yeah and i typed all of this on my phone so if there are any embarrassing typos....let me know


	3. Tuesday

It was noon, and absolutely nothing had been figured out.

The party had started already at Applejack's barn, and so far Applejack and everypony else seemed like they were having a good time. Seeing everypony so happy made everything feel a tiny bit better. No one seemed to notice anything strange between Pinkie Pie and Twilight--except for Twilight herself, of course. At this point, Twilight would have to know something was up. It would only make matters worse if she kept avoiding her, right? Why was it such a big deal, anyway? They were still friends. Pinkie just had to act the way she always did. So she didn't run away from Twilight when she spotted her and trotted over.

"I was worried you wouldn't come," Twilight said, with a relieved smile.

Pinkie tilted her head. "Why's that?" It didn't make sense at all. Why would Pinkie ever skip out on a party she'd planned?

Twilight lifted her hoof from the ground. "Well, I feel like something's been bothering you lately. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't come."

"Oh..." Pinkie wasn't sure she liked where this was going, but she had to at least  _try_ to convince Twilight not to worry. Although, from the way Twilight was swinging her hoof back and forth and glancing from the ground to Pinkie, it seemed too late for that.

"You don't have to talk about it," Twilight quickly reassured her. Her voice was still calm. If she was stressed about something, she was good at hiding it. Pinkie always found herself envying Twilight's confidence. "But I don't want you to drive yourself crazy over it either. Princess Cadance told me about last time."

Last time...Twilight definitely had some sort of clue what was going on. The last time Pinkie had to force herself to hold in something like this was when she found out Cadance was pregnant with Flurry Heart, and she couldn't tell Twilight. It had been over a year since that happened, so Cadance had to have mentioned it to Twilight at some point.

"I feel a little guilty about it, to tell you the truth," Twilight continued. She sat on the ground and curled her tail around her. "I just feel like I could've done more to help you."

"Help with what? It's not like you could keep a secret from yourself."

"I...I don't know. You had a panic attack on my ceiling. I feel like I should've been able to do  _something_ about it."

At first Pinkie didn't have any idea what she was talking about, but then it occured to her that her friends turning into malicious balloons and pressuring her to confess to a secret as she clung to tree roots and hyperventilated probably wasn't a normal experience. Hopefully, that wasn't going to happen again anytime soon. She'd almost ruined the surprise for Twilight. And if it happened again, there'd probably be nopony to stop her from saying something like "I have a humongous crush on Twilight" and making everypony feel uncomfortable, especially Twilight herself.

"Telling you would make it worse," Pinkie said. That could be true, at least. Twilight looked up again at her, her brow starting to furrow. She probably thought differently, but Pinkie continued before Twilight could respond. "But it'll go away eventually, maybe, I think, so, don't worry about it."

She didn't necessarily hate that she liked Twilight so much, but if she was right and it did go away, she probably wouldn't mind even a bit.

"I don't think it'll just  _go away,_ " Twilight replied, "but I don't want to bother you--"

" _You're not bothering me!_ " Pinkie shouted. After a second it was pretty apparent how eager she was all of a sudden, from Twilight's wide eyes and raised eyebrows. She cleared her throat, which didn't really do anything but that's what everypony else seemed to do whenever they accidentally said something the wrong way. "I-I mean, you're not gonna bother me. I really like talking to you." Oh, no, that was too much, wasn't it? She started feeling a little hot. Hopefully, she wasn't blushing, although she was pink anyway so it wouldn't really be too visible. Twilight looked like she had something to say, but Pinkie decided that she had to get away to somewhere else. "But, um, not right now! I need to do something! I'll be right back!" 

Twilight probably said something, but Pinkie didn't bother to hear it. She fled down to the first place she could think of. It was the back of Applejack's barn. No one seemed to be back here right now, so Pinkie fell on her side and curled up and tried to think over everything. She really did want to spend time with Twilight, but now that she was self aware of her own feelings for her, she had no idea what to do with it all. And whenever she was with Twilight she never knew what to say anymore. She hated it. And it was too late to fix anything. All of this would end with Twilight being uncomfortable around her at best, and hating her at worst.

All Pinkie wanted from this was to be able to kiss Twilight, but she was messing every little tiny thing up.

At the sound of heavy hoofsteps, Pinkie flinched and sat up. She stared at the corner of the barn, and as anticipated somepony approached. Applejack was there, peeking around the wall. She seemed just as bewildered as Twilight was when Pinkie ran from her. Without hesitation, Applejack walked briskly over to Pinkie. "What're ya doin' all the way back here, Pinkie?"

It was bad enough that Twilight was so confused. Now Applejack was worried too. So either Twilight had told Applejack, or Applejack had watched them. But Pinkie could probably talk to Applejack about this. Applejack didn't lie, but she didn't tell secrets, either. She wouldn't be lying if she said she had to keep a secret.

But then Applejack would have that terrible burden of having to keep a really important secret from a really important pony. And even though Applejack wasn't involved in that secret, there was no doubt she'd see Pinkie differently. She wouldn't be able to spend time with them both at the same time because they'd end up growing apart all because Pinkie had this _stupid_ crush that came out of _nowhere_. And their other friends would find out too, because Pinkie would end up like this  _every_  time and she'd have to tell them all, and soon _everypony_ would be avoiding her, and she'd be _all alone_ , and even then she'd probably still be missing Twilight the most, and wishing that everything could be  _normal_ again, and even if she ever told Twilight it would be a  _million_ times worse, because everypony would be so  _disturbed--_

She found herself on the ground again, with something around her. Something warm and rough and familiarly comforting. A low, sweet voice spoke to her, but Pinkie couldn't quite make out the words. She couldn't understand what was happening, but she couldn't bring herself to figure it out. She heard her own shallow breathing shudder through her, she felt her quickening heartbeat shaking her whole body.

It occured to Pinkie that she was probably panicking, but she was clueless as to what to do about it, so she could only go with her impulse and try to slow her breathing. But it felt like every time she was able to, she nearly choked on the air that she was swallowing.

Pinkie couldn't figure out whether she was alone or not. She felt somepony with her, but she couldn't hear a thing. Who was it? Who was the last pony she'd seen? The last one she'd seen before--

"Applejack!" She forced it out, during the second it came to her. From that, she was absolutely sure Applejack was there, and it was Applejack's voice she heard.

"That's it, sugarcube," Applejack answered softly. "I'm right here with ya. Just take deep breaths."

"I  _can't._ " Pinkie was too afraid to try again. She didn't want to choke or suffocate, and she didn't want to stop trying to breathe altogether. "I _can't_ _,_ Applejack."

"Yer not in any danger, Pinkie." Applejack seemed to be slowly stroking her back. It was such a kind touch. Pinkie didn't want to lose it, so she put all her energy into focusing on that feeling.

No thinking about anything else. No worrying about anything. Just the rhythm of Applejack's stroking, and Pinkie could match the pace of her breathing. She could, she knew it.

It took a few moments, but she slowly came to see her surroundings clearly again. Applejack had one of her forelegs over Pinkie's body, and the other on the ground, her hoof over Pinkie's. Pinkie pulled her head up to meet Applejack's vibrant green eyes. At that, Applejack blinked and spoke again, keeping her voice low. "What's got ya so worked up today, hon?"

It was probably a bad idea, but Pinkie didn't know what a _good_ idea would be, so she answered. "I don't know what to do." Her voice was a lot shakier than she wanted it to be, but she had to keep speaking anyway. "It's gonna ruin everything for her and she'll never talk to me again--" Her gaze fell as she felt herself tighten. "A-and then everypony else is gonna know--"

"Slow down, sugarcube," Applejack interrupted. She tilted Pinkie's chin up again with her hoof. "What's this about ruinin' everything? What got that in yer head?"

"I have a crush on Twilight."

Applejack pulled herself back immediately, eyes widened. "A  _what?_ "

It happened again. Of course it did. Pinkie couldn't backtrack and say that she said something else because all the words she could think of to rhyme with crush--mush, shush, lush, gush--wouldn't make any sense. Therefore, the only logical conclusion was to say everything else.

Pinkie took a deep breath and continued. "I've actually probably had a crush on Twilight for a while but I didn't even notice it until a couple of days ago and I started thinking about it all the time and I know that if I accidentally tell too many ponies I have a crush on her she'll find out and she'll be super freaked out and she'll never want to talk to me again because it'll be too awkward for everypony involved but the more I think about it the harder it is to talk to Twilight like nothing's wrong and I really want to be her girlfriend and kiss her a bunch but I really hate that I want to do that because it's ruining everything for Twilight--" She took another gasp of air and clung to Applejack, who immediately wrapped her forelegs around her. " _I just want everything to be normal again!_ "

Applejack didn't say anything for a moment, just holding Pinkie as she tried to catch her breath. Pinkie didn't really expect her to respond. She was good at fixing stuff, but even she couldn't fix this problem. It was unfixable. It was always hard to comfort somepony whose problem was unfixable. 

Eventually, though, once Pinkie was shaking a lot less, Applejack pulled away and set her hoof on Pinkie's shoulder. "Listen, Pinkie." Her eyes were wide, her leafy irises fully visible. "I know how ya feel, and I can tell you it's gonna be okay."

"How would you know?" Pinkie was puzzled by her words, but she was hopeful, and she knew the answer would be a true answer.

Applejack gulped, squirming slightly before hesitantly answering. "Y'see...for a while I sorta had a...thing for Rainbow Dash."

Pinkie's first response was to gasp--when did it happen? How did it happen? How had she never noticed anything?--but she saw Applejack sort of cringe, her eyes lowered and face reddening, so Pinkie stuffed her hooves in her mouth to shut herself up before she could yell anything out.

"I guess..." Applejack spoke with a small, sheepish smile. "I guess she can be a bit of a flatterer. It's...I dunno, it's embarrassing to admit, I s'pose..."

Pinkie took her hooves out of her mouth. "I think it's cute," she softly squeaked, trying to keep her voice low.

Applejack met her eyes again, her grin steadying. "I guess in hindsight, it's cute. Anyway..." Her grin faded. "I told her, eventually. And we went on a date, but after that Rainbow said she wasn't up for that kinda thing anymore, said she liked me better as her friend. I was kinda bummed at first, but she was real nice about lettin' me down and all, and I didn't mind so much bein' friends anyway."

Pinkie never knew about all that. How did she not even suspect it? It wasn't exactly a  _bad_ thing, since Applejack deserved some privacy when it came to her love life and she seemed to have gotten it. But the pony Applejack had crushed on was another one of Pinkie's bestest friends, so how had neither of them mentioned it before?

"Is it awkward with her now?" That was the only reason Pinkie could really think of. "Is that why you never talk about it?"

Applejack chuckled. "Nah, nah. Maybe a little at first, but we got over it. When I asked her out, we decided to keep quiet in case it didn't work, 'cause we didn't want anypony to get too excited about it."

Wow, they were really smart to do that. If they'd told everypony right away they were going on a date, then later, after they'd changed their minds about each other, everypony who'd known would be in an awkward situation. That was exactly what Pinkie was worried about, wasn't it?

"I get it!" Pinkie exclaimed, then remembered they were supposed to be having a quiet talk behind the barn, and lowered her voice. "I get it. You want me to take Twilight on a top secret first date."

"W-well..." Applejack blinked. "I guess you could do that, if yer up for it." She shook her head. "No, no, I'm just tellin' ya you got nothin' to worry about." She leaned closer, her smile gentle. "She's still Twilight. Even if she doesn't want anythin' romantic, she's not gonna stop bein' your pal."

Applejack opened her mouth to say more, but something rustled nearby, and she turned her head just in time to see a small yellow filly peek her eyes around the corner, her bright pink bow drooping downward.

"Aw, shoot," muttered Applejack. She glanced back at Pinkie. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna say nothin'. Ya gonna stick around here?"

Honestly, Pinkie had nearly forgotten that they were in the middle of Applejack's birthday party, which was really ridiculous, since she'd planned it and helped set it up. The area behind the barn was obviously pretty empty, but it was easily accessible, so somepony would probably see Pinkie if she were to stay here by herself, and she wouldn't be able to give a real explanation. But Pinkie wasn't sure she wanted to be around everypony else yet either. She needed to think more about Applejack's words. She could probably just wait until later, though. Sometimes it was really, really hard to wait, but it couldn't hurt to try, probably.

So Pinkie followed Applejack out into the open again. She didn't miss the strange look Apple Bloom gave her, but she doubted she'd ask anything right now, so it wasn't necessary to worry about it. She  _was_ nervous to talkto Twilight again before she was able to have some time alone, but Twilight didn't seem to be around anyway. It should've been relieving, but it just made Pinkie afraid about the other possibility that Twilight had left.

Nothing made sense. Did she want to be around Twilight right now or not?

She finally did see Twilight again, in the barn, when it was time to serve cake. The cake they'd made together just two days ago. Pinkie could hear Twilight talk about it now, as she slid the first slice to Applejack.

"Look, Pinkie made this layer and I made that one," Twilight was pointing out. "She  _says_ I did a good job, but I'm not so sure, so don't be surprised if the top one's more appealing."

That day was really the last time Pinkie could hold a conversation with Twilight without freaking out over every single thought. It was a really happy memory filling her with fluffy feelings. She really, really hoped she could make more of those. Would it even be possible anymore, if she did decide to confess her feelings for Twilight? Was it necessary to make that decision?

What even was the difference between a friend and a girlfriend, anyway? Was a girlfriend just a friend you could kiss? That seemed dumb. There was nothing wrong with kissing friends and not dating them. There was a bigger difference than that, because Pinkie felt so differently about Twilight then any other pony ever, but what was it? And why was that difference there?

Twilight saw her now, and smiled. "Oh, Pinkie! I was wondering where you were!"

Pinkie returned the smile instinctively. It as easy to smile when Twilight was smiling, too. She trotted over and sat beside Twilight. "I was wondering where _you_ were," she said, then realized that it was probably a bad idea to remind Twilight that the last time they talked, Pinkie ran away and--

Twilight didn't acknowledge it. "You know, I feel like most ponies wouldn't bother to plan a party for Applejack, since her family always does something for her every year, but you really just don't miss a chance to celebrate, do you?" Twilight tapped her hoof to her cheek for a thought. "I guess you're family anyway, from the way you treat each other. I just think it's neat how you think of everypony."

Pinkie didn't know how to respond. She had not expected Twilight to say all that. She'd thought Twilight would interrogate her on where she'd been and what she'd been doing and why she'd been a total wreck about everything before. But Twilight was just being her lovely self. She was always so mature and thoughtful. Pinkie found herself giggling as she replied. "Everypony deserves to be thought of! I know Applejack's okay with it, too, she told me."

"Don't you have that stuff written down anyway?" Twilight asked.

Pinkie shrugged. "Well, she might change her mind someday."

"Hm, that's true." Twilight paused to sip from a cup of punch resting beside her. "What if she wants a surprise party, though?"

"Oh, surprises are complicated," Pinkie answered immediately, always ready to explain her party-planning methods in full detail. "You can't tell somepony you want a surprise party because then you're expecting it and you're not supposed to expect a surprise because then it won't be a surprise and the best you can hope for is to be surprised on what day it is which means you can't make any plans like sleepovers or doctor's appointments because then you'll risk missing your surprise party or you could end up getting surprised next time instead except then you might not want a surprise anymore." She stopped to breathe and hesitate for a second. "It's easier if somepony tells you they like surprise parties because you won't risk disappointing everypony but you have to be careful to do it sparingly because if you do it all the time it'll stop being surprising." Wow, she'd just been able to say some form of the word "surprise" about eleven whole times in less than a minute. It was a good word, so Pinkie was fine with that. "So the best thing to do is to ask if they like surprises, but not too close to the party or they'll be too suspicious, and if they do like surprises you have to make sure they don't have any plans that day and maybe have them make plans to spend time with you for good measure and don't surprise them too much or else they won't be surprised anymore and if they don't like surprises then just don't give them any!"

Twilight blinked and rubbed her chin with a hoof for a quiet moment. "So, um...does Applejack like surprises?"

"Nope, I don't think so! Not surprise  _parties,_ at least. She said..." Pinkie cleared her throat so she could try to deepen her voice. "Ah like a good shindig 'n all but ah juss don' got the time fer anythin' unexpected like that! Ah got apples ta buck!"

From the other side of the room, Applejack shouted, "I do  _not_ talk like that!" Seeing the two ponies start to giggle, Applejack chuckled, her false anger disappearing, and turned back to her own conversation.

"For the record," said Twilight, "I don't mind surprise parties at all."

"Really?" Pinkie leaned forward, intrigued. Twilight always seemed like somepony who liked to have the immediate future all planned out, somepony who liked to know what to expect. "I thought you did. Don't you get annoyed by that stuff?"

"I used to be annoyed by a lot of things," Twilight admitted, glancing downward, brushing her hoof against a leg. "But some of it's grown on me. It's like you said, as long as I don't have anything important planned it's really fun." She looked like she was blushing, but that didn't really make sense. Was she ashamed of something? What was there to be ashamed of? Pinkie thought she saw her sweat tiny beads from her forehead, but she couldn't really tell. Maybe it was just the light. "I guess I'm biased, though. You're the only one who's thrown me surprise parties."

" _Ever?_ " Pinkie gasped. "You mean your parents and your big brother best friend forever didn't do anything?"

Twilight's ears perked up at the mention of her brother. "No, Shining Armor did, a couple of times. But we were foals, it was different."

Twilight seemed happier all of a sudden, like she'd just remembered something that cheered her up. Now that it happened, Pinkie realized how Twilight had been kinda nervous for a minute. She definitely wasn't blushing or sweating or averting her eyes anymore, if Pinkie was right and she had been in the first place. Pinkie wondered what she was thinking about, but it didn't really matter in the long run. If it made Twilight happy, it was a good thing.

Miraculously, nothing went wrong for the rest of the party. Pinkie gradually felt more at ease the more time she spent around Twilight. Occasionally she thought, what if she was spending too much time and Twilight would notice and feel uncomfortable? She just had to keep telling the thought to go away and leave her and Twilight alone, and it did. Besides, if Twilight wanted to spend time with anypony else, she could have easily said so and left Pinkie to talk to somepony else. But she didn't, and she was happy every second she was with Pinkie.

_She was happy every second she was with Pinkie._

Why was that? It wasn't as if none of their other friends were there. It wasn't as if Pinkie was any more special than the others.

Or was she? Was there a possibility, a speck of a chance, that Twilight felt this way too?

Was it too farfetched to think that Twilight felt all warm and melty at her happiness, that Twilight wanted to hold her and kiss her gently, that Twilight's heart was full of love ready to bubble out for her?

No, that was selfish. Twilight probably knew that Pinkie had gone through a panic attack, or whatever the heck that situation was, and she just wanted to make sure she was comfortable and safe. She was just being a kind and thoughtful friend, that was all.

As Pinkie went home, though, she still felt that hope stirring in her. She didn't want it to grow. If she was too hopeful, she'd be disappointed later. She knew this.  _Stop trying to jinx it,_ she told her hope.  _It's not going to happen anyway. Go away._

It didn't go away.

When she went to sleep, she had a vague happy dream where Twilight loved her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took a while. i started like 6 drafts before finishing this chapter. i hope you liked it.  
> i proofread this, so i hope i fixed all the humiliating typos.


	4. Wednesday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope this story is okay so far!!

Today, Pinkie Pie was assigned to man the register. More accurately, Mrs. Cake told her that she could work at the counter for a few hours if she had time, but that didn't seem to sound as professional. Baking was serious business, after all. One misaligned dollop of frosting meant she had to start over, and eat the ruined pastry so that nopony else would have to.

Pinkie wasn't baking today, though. Baking was one of her favorite things, but working at the counter was just as good because she got to greet everypony who came in, and there wasn't anypony in town she didn't like to see.

Rainbow Dash was the fifth pony who approached Pinkie. "Hey," she said, putting her front hooves up on the counter. "Do you know when you're gonna be free?"

Pinkie tapped her chin and glanced around the room. "My shift should end within three hours," she responded, looking back at Rainbow Dash, whose expression changed into one of exasperation.

"I know you don't take shifts, Pinkie," Rainbow Dash stated bluntly, her eyes narrowing. "You just work whenever you feel like it."

Pinkie sighed and lowered her head. "I know. But that makes me sound lazy."

"Nah, if you were lazy you wouldn't work at all." Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and started to hover. "Seriously, are you gonna be free soon? For lunch?"

"Is it gonna be a late lunch?" Pinkie asked, looking at the clock. It was eleven right now. It'd be best to stay at the register for another hour or two. "I can have lunch with you if it's a late lunch."

"Oh, not with me. With Twilight."

Pinkie's ears perked up at the name. "With Twilight?" She tilted her head. "Are you sure? Why can't she just ask me herself?"

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "She's too busy to come over right now, or something." She rolled her eyes. "I guess she just decided to grab the first pony she saw and send them as a messenger. Dunno why she couldn't just wait 'til later to get you."

"Twilight's a princess now," Pinkie pointed out. "She has very important duties."

"She was sorta just staring out the window." Rainbow Dash paused and scratched the back of her neck. "Actually...you probably should go see her. She looked the way she does when she's been thinking for a while. She was doing that thing where one of her eyebrows is up and her eyes look kind of angry but it's really just frustration, and she's rubbing her chin like this--" Rainbow Dash lowered her head to cover her mouth as she brushed her hoof back and forth against her chin. "--you know?"

"Was she pacing?" Pinkie asked.

"I dunno. I only saw her through the wind--oh!" Rainbow Dash landed, her hooves silently settling onto the floor, as her eyes blinked and widened. "Did something happen at Sweet Apple Acres yesterday?"

"Did you forget about the entire birthday party?" It didn't look like Rainbow Dash had lost any of her memory, so Pinkie was more confused than concerned.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes again, fluffing out her wings absentmindedly. "I mean at the party. I didn't see Twilight for, like, an hour, and then suddenly she was with you the whole time. I'm not jealous or anything." She showed a small smirk as she added, "I kinda doubt she'd get totally bored of me. But it just seemed like something weird happened. I thought maybe you knew about it."

Rainbow Dash didn't seem to know about how Pinkie had freaked out behind the barn. Or if she did, she avoided bringing it up. Either way, what Rainbow did notice was interesting. "I didn't see her for a while either," Pinkie replied. "I never really asked her where she was. I just figured we weren't around each other."

"It's not like it was the Gala. There weren't that many ponies. It'd be hard to lose Twilight like that unless she left on her own." Rainbow started to hover again. "Anyway, maybe the lunch thing has something to do with that. I was gonna ask if you wanted me to come with, but now that I think about it, it might be kinda personal."

It was very convenient that nopony else entered the bakery throughout the entire conversation. After she said goodbye, Pinkie was only approached by a few more ponies before one o'clock came around. Then she realized she never gave Rainbow Dash a specific time to tell Twilight. What if she thought Pinkie had ditched her? She couldn't let that happen. She told the Cakes that she was leaving for a few hours, since that seemed like a safely vague time limit to set for herself, and headed to Twilight's castle.

Pinkie also didn't realize that she'd forgotten to actually bring anything until she was at the castle doors, but she didn't have time to go back before Twilight threw those doors open. "Ah!" She jumped back, her wings thrusting out. "I didn't know you were coming!"

Oh, no. Rainbow Dash hadn't been playing a joke, right? She'd seemed sincere enough. If she was lying, she was very intricate about it. "Dashie told me you wanted me to come," Pinkie explained. "Did you actually tell her that? Or is this a trap?"

Twilight shook her head, her tension releasing. "No, I did tell her." She cracked a small smile. "I was going to see you, actually, to make sure you were coming. Come in."

As Pinkie followed Twilight to her bedroom, she caught Spike in the corner of her eye. Spike noticed her in the same moment. His eyes darted to Twilight, then he turned and fled. Twilight didn't seem to notice. Her eyes were fixed to the hallway in front of her, plus Spike was far enough away to have quiet footsteps. 

Now it was pretty obvious, from Twilight's posture and her fallen gaze, that Rainbow Dash was right about everything. She'd been thinking about something that was bothering her. For some reason, Pinkie felt like she didn't want to ask what it was.

Whatever was wrong, it had to have started sometime after Applejack's party. That was when Pinkie had started to hope that Twilight loved her the same way. Now she was hoping Twilight didn't, because if she did, it probably was the reason for her anxiety, and Pinkie didn't want to be the reason for her anxiety. 

Once they were in the bedroom, Twilight shut the door with a thick thud. "Sorry." Twilight's voice wasn't much clearer than a murmur. She was still looking at the ground. 

"What's wrong?" There wasn't a reason to avoid asking anymore. Twilight was definitely in some kind of trouble. Pinkie could risk whatever she was trying to protect to fix it.

Twilight shook her head again and slowly walked toward her bed. "Ugh..." She fell back onto the comforter. "I don't know. I'm sorry, I got...I got nervous, and I guess I just wasted your time on--"

"No!" Pinkie ran over, and would be making fierce eye contact with Twilight if the latter wasn't avoiding it. "It's not wasted! Tell me what's wrong!" It wasn't just nerves, she knew it. There was a bigger reason.

That reason was apparently something Twilight couldn't bring herself to tell. She shut her eyes tight and rolled onto her side, pulling the blanket over her so that her hind hooves were sticking out. "I don't know," she mumbled, more strained than it should have been. "I'm sorry, Pinkie..."

Twilight's breath came in soft, slight shudders, and her hooves were starting to tremble. Seeing that, Pinkie knew that whatever the problem was, it was about to force Twilight into an anxiety attack.

What did she need to do? Pinkie had no idea how to calm ponies down, because she tended to be the one who needed to be calmed down. Usually that involved one of her friends trying to talk her out of whatever fear she had, but Pinkie didn't know how to do that. She considered fetching Spike, but she didn't know if he would have any better luck. He would probably take too long to find, anyway.

The only thing Pinkie could think to do was sit beside Twilight and rub her back. Twilight was hiding in the blanket, but she was very slender, so it was easy to feel around for her spine. She felt Twilight flinch at her touch, and she stopped for a second until Twilight relaxed again. Pinkie had probably just startled her.

Then she remembered how sometimes when Twilight was stressed she'd do some kind of breathing technique that Princess Cadance had taught her a long time ago. Pinkie could only remember how it looked, so she couldn't exactly remind Twilight how to do it, but maybe Twilight could remember on her own.

"Do you remember how to breathe like how Cadance showed you once?" Pinkie tried to be quiet, but she knew she was going to grow frantic any second and end up yelling.

Fortunately, Twilight poked her head out of her bundle as she nodded quickly. She wriggled free of the blanket and closed her eyes to take a deep breath, moving her hoof toward and away from her as if controlling the air. She seemed to feel more stable, but her eyebrows were still tightly scrunched in worry. She sat up and finally looked at Pinkie.

This was probably very awkward for her.

"Do you want me to leave you alone?" Pinkie asked. She didn't actually want to do that, but Twilight's comfort came first. She feared that she'd take a tiny misstep and make everything worse.

It had been like that all week, hadn't it? Ever since Pinkie had recognized that she was in love, she was always, to some degree, worrying about ruining everything for Twilight. And even before that, she was always worrying about letting Twilight down.

Would it hurt to tell her how she felt?

Twilight sighed and looked away again. "You don't have to stay. But I...I wouldn't mind if you did." She was quiet for a few seconds, quickly glancing back at Pinkie. Seeing she was still patiently watching, Twilight broke the fleeting silence. "I've, um...yesterday..."

Pinkie blinked and tilted her head. That probably wasn't even grammatically correct! "What's that supposed to mean?"

Twilight twiddled her hooves. "No, I'm just trying to figure out how to say this..."

The only important thing Twilight had gotten out was "yesterday." But at Sweet Apple Acres, Twilight had seemed fine. "Did something happen after Applejack's party?"

"No. I just went home after that."

Well, there was that time when Twilight had disappeared for a while. It seemed a little invasive, but it was Pinkie's only lead, so she asked, "Where did you go?"

Twilight raised her head just to stare with utter confusion. "Um...I'm right here."

"No, silly, at the party. I didn't see you for a while. And Rainbow Dash said she didn't see you either."

"Oh!" Twilight squirmed as her gaze fell. "I...I was looking for you. I guess I went in all the wrong places."

The way she grinned so unsteadily sheepishly seemed offputting, but there wasn't an actual reason, so Pinkie ignored it. Besides, it made her look kind of cute, which made Pinkie smile a little as well. "Okay, I was just wondering." After Twilight sighed again, her grin releasing, Pinkie added, "Why didn't you just ask somepony?"

Twilight averted her eyes. Maybe the sunlight was reflecting oddly through the window, but it looked like her cheeks were reddening. "It slipped my mind," she quickly answered.

"Why were you looking for me, anyway?" Pinkie knew it was probably because she'd frantically fled from Twilight in the middle of a conversation, but she asked this just in case Twilight, miraculously, hadn't noticed anything was wrong.

From Twilight's hesitation, it seemed that wasn't the case, but all she replied with was "I just wanted to talk to you," so that was still up in the air. Pinkie was hoping Twilight wouldn't throw it back at her, so it was probably a good idea to talk about the important stuff.

"What happened, then?" Pinkie leaned a little closer to Twilight, but not too close. Part of her was afraid to end up in a situation like that moment on Sunday when she wanted to give Twilight a kiss, and this time going with her impulse. "What were you gonna say about yesterday?"

"Ah..." Twilight winced and raised a hoof to her mouth. "I was thinking a lot about--" Her eyes briefly widened before squeezing shut as she turned away, her words quickening with alarm. "No, I-I change my mind, I don't want to talk about it."

Perhaps that was for the best. Pinkie was no therapist. Generally, she was never the type to help other ponies overcome their worries or guide them through their problems. If Twilight did speak and seek that kind of help, Pinkie would only disappoint her with vague, useless words that would make both of them awkward and unhappy. She wished she were smart enough to help that way.

The only other way she could fix this problem, at least temporarily, was to make her laugh. What would make Pinkie laugh if she was feeling down?

"How does an elephant ask for buns?"

Twilight spun back. "I...don't know?" Her words were slow, suspicion filling the pause in between. The way her eyebrows rose showed her complete puzzlement, all according to plan.

Pinkie raised a hoof high above her head and curled it down. She lowered her face to try and help her imitation of a trunk. In her best squeaky falsetto voice, she asked, "Can I have a bun please?"

Pinkie wasn't even sure if she did it the right way, but that didn't matter, because Twilight's joy broke through again in a smile as she lay back on her side and giggled. It was  _so_ nice to hear. Pinkie couldn't help but laugh with her. It may seem silly for them to laugh so much at such a simple joke, but Pinkie knew that timing was everything, and sometimes jokes worked best when they were a sudden and unexpected reason to smile.

"I was almost expecting a pun," Twilight giggled. "I didn't know you had an elephant voice."

"Why wouldn't I? I gotta be prepared."

"For  _what?_ " Twilight playfully rolled her eyes and made a vague grand gesture. "Communication? That's not how it works!"

"How do you know that?" Pinkie challenged her.

"You don't see Fluttershy talking to bears in a deep growly voice!"

"Well, we all do things differently! And Fluttershy can't make a growly voice anyway!"

Twilight's laughter melted away enough for her to catch her breath and properly speak, but her adorable grin had yet to be erased. "I guess it all has to do with her gift anyway," she pointed out. "I could _learn_ how to communicate with animals using body language, but Fluttershy would always be more fluent." After a second, she added, "You, too. I can't make ponies happy the way you do."

" _No!_ " Pinkie immediately exclaimed, pounding a hoof into the bed for emphasis. "You make ponies happy every day! You make  _me_ happy every day!"

Twilight lowered her chin into her chest. Her smile was gone now, too soon. "Well, I'm sure ponies are happy around me because I'm a princess and all, and I'm usually good at solving disputes, but that's it, really. You have a special way with things." She raised her head again, her smile starting to grow again. "That's all I meant."

"Yeah, but  _I'm_ not good at solving disputes!" Pinkie cried. "I just make ponies happy!"

"That's important, too, isn't it? Sometimes being happy for a while helps you get past the tough things." Twilight sat up again so she wouldn't be forced to look up at Pinkie the whole time. "Have you been okay?"

"What do you mean?" Pinkie could list all the different things Twilight could mean. "Okay" had a lot of meanings. "I've done an okay job at Sugarcube Corner, I've done an okay job with planning parties--"

"I _mean_ ," Twilight interrupted, "you usually aren't self-critical like that. You're really yourself when you're confident."

Huh. Maybe this was all a trap to get Pinkie to reflect on her feelings in front of Twilight. If so, it was very impressive how lucky Twilight was for the plan to work, considering she'd bordered on having an anxiety attack as soon as they entered this room. In any case, Pinkie didn't mind talking about these kinds of feelings right now. She trusted Twilight.

"I just think you're absolutely amazing I don't want you to think that you're not."

Was that too much information? Would it give anything away? Twilight didn't stop to think about the real meaning behind those words, so maybe not. "You can be kind to me without acting like I'm better than you. And, honestly, it makes me feel bad to see you do that."

Was there any way to win here? Was Pinkie supposed to sit and let Twilight doubt her own loveliness? It wasn't as if she could compliment Twilight any other way. How would Twilight believe her if she wasn't being compared? Still, if this was all making Twilight feel worse, then it wasn't worth bringing up.

Pinkie couldn't bring herself to believe she could be as good as Twilight, though. "I wish there was a better way to make you happy," she sighed. "All I did was make it worse."

Pinkie lay on her side the way Twilight had before. She didn't know what else she could say. Was it too late to make it up to her? Of course it was too late. If Pinkie couldn't convince Twilight how incredible she was, who could? Was Pinkie a failure at bringing Twilight happiness, or was Twilight inconsolable? Either possibility would extinguish the most important part of the world. Pinkie was horrified that they would come true.

"Pinkie, stop it." At the stronger voice, Pinkie tilted her head up and saw Twilight covering her with a wing as she spoke. Her eyes were wide with fright. "This isn't like you at all."

Twilight's wing was like a fluffy, plush blanket. It was hard not to snuggle right into it. Pinkie wasn't always good at resisting her impulses, so she cuddled right against Twilight, who welcomingly held her tightly.

"You  _do_ make me happy," Twilight continued, softening. "You always do. Don't make yourself think that you haven't."

Those were very healing words, and Pinkie couldn't argue against them. She only asked, "Are you happy right now?"

"I'm happy if you are," Twilight assured her. She lay down on her belly, keeping Pinkie against her wing, and nuzzled. Her cheeks felt so fuzzy and warm. Pinkie silently willed her not to get back up soon, because she wanted to cherish this moment of comfort from the pony she loved.

If it had been anypony else, Pinkie still would've enjoyed it. But it would have been a lighthearted, carefree enjoyment. This was different, this was strong. This was a flood of love.

But it couldn't be what Twilight felt. And if Twilight never knew, she wouldn't have to discover why Pinkie wanted to rest against her all the time, and she'd pull away so Pinkie could never feel this elation again. If Pinkie never confessed the truth, would Twilight figure it out eventually? Twilight was clever, she could easily notice if Pinkie felt differently about her than she did other ponies.

They would undoubtedly always be friends. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were proof of that. But Pinkie did not want to lose moments like this. She couldn't tell Twilight any of this, and it was absolutely frustrating.

"Oh, gosh..." Twilight's purple eyes flickered wide open, but otherwise didn't budge. "I planned to have lunch together today and I forgot all about it."

Now that she mentioned it, Rainbow Dash had mentioned that that was what Twilight had wanted. "That's okay, I forgot too," Pinkie admitted. "I didn't even bring anything."

"Well, I really just wanted..." Twilight shifted her legs uneasily. "I wanted to know how you were doing. We can plan for a different day if you want. It'd be less messy."

"What about Wednesday makes lunches messy?"

"No, I mean...I'd be better prepared." Twilight closed her eyes again and smiled. "I think it's too late to have lunch today. I don't really have an appetite, anyway."

Actually, Twilight didn't feel as cold as she usually did. Her warmth felt nice, but it wasn't normal. "Are you sick?" Pinkie worried.

"No, I don't _feel_ sick." Twilight lifted herself as if about to sit up, then fell back against Pinkie, tightening her wing around her. "I'm too busy tomorrow, but I can have lunch with you Friday."

"Do you have any secret hideouts to have a lunch at like you do for watching sunrises?" Pinkie asked.

Twilight shook her head. "No, but I could probably find one if I have time. We can decide where to go once it's Friday. Let's meet here, okay?"

This probably meant Pinkie would have to leave soon. It'd be weird to ask Twilight outright to cuddle like this again in the future, so Pinkie didn't want this to end. Realistically, though, she had to get back to Sugarcube Corner before too much time passed. Twilight had important duties, too. She didn't have time to hug her all day, even though that would be ideal. Plus, Pinkie would painfully miss this happy memory sooner or later, so it would be reasonable to put an end to it before it became too sentimental.

She couldn't bring herself to pull away. She had to wait until Twilight cautiously began to sit up and close her wing, wordlessly urging Pinkie to do the same, except Pinkie didn't have wings to close, which was unfortunate because she felt as if she could really improve her hugs if she did.

"Thank you for coming over," said Twilight. "Normally I'd have you stay longer, but..." She bit her lip and held the rest of her words in.

Pinkie was intrigued, but not intrigued enough to force Twilight to reveal everything. She hopped off the bed and stretched. "I'll see you Friday, then!" she sung, waving before leaving through the door.

The castle was a long, crystally maze, but Pinkie had been here enough times to find the front doors. As expected, she reached them within minutes. As unexpected, Spike was back, fidgeting with his claws. He looked up upon hearing Pinkie approach and clasped his hands together. "Where's Twilight?"

"She was still in her room when I left," Pinkie answered. "But if you think about it, there's no way I could know where she is because she's had time to leave and go somewhere."

Spike nodded, as if Pinkie hadn't just given him a totally unhelpful answer. "Did you tell her that..." He shifted his feet and glanced away. "That you, uh..."

"Nah, we just talked for a little bit," Pinkie replied. "We're gonna have lunch together Friday." 

Spike's eyes lit up and showed a smile through his tiny fangs. "You're taking her on a date?"

It'd be nice to think of it that way, but... "We've had lunch with each other before," Pinkie pointed out, "and those weren't dates."

"Yeah, but it's close enough!" Spike was grinning now and he clapped his hands. "I've always wanted to help Twilight get ready for a date! This is awesome!"

With his claws curled into determined fists, Spike ran down the hall before Pinkie could reply. 

She didn't want to get her hopes up, but she did anyway. She always did. Spike's adorable enthusiasm only got them higher. If he suddenly didn't feel so awkward about the subject, maybe he was starting to think that what Pinkie wanted was in reach. She really did wish to forget all about it and let their friendship stay as it was, but she couldn't do anything about how bad she wanted to kiss Twilight and be her girlfriend.

That hope became joy, and thinking about the things she could do with the pony she loved this Friday made her bounce all the way back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay uh i have no idea how elephants are depicted in the mlp universe so sorry if i messed up that part


	5. Thursday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry ive uh, had very bad writer's block and idk if any of these chapters are even close to adequate but i spose i could revise them later if i ever improve my writing? idk

It wasn't supposed to be so different to think about. Pinkie Pie was always having lunch and spending time with her friends. In fact, right now she was with Rainbow Dash in Sugarcube Corner. This wasn't any different than any other time they'd been around each other. They were just having a conversation like any pair of best friends would do.

Why did it have to feel different with Twilight Sparkle? Why was it so dreadful? Sure, Pinkie hadn't realized she was in love until a few days ago, but that feeling had still been there. This was all so stupid.

"How'd that thing go with Twilight, anyway?" At the question, Pinkie flinched, realizing too late that maybe she accidentally vocalized all this. But Rainbow Dash was just casually hovering in the air. If she'd heard Pinkie's thoughts she'd probably have a more intense reaction. She smiled a little as she added, "I saw her again later and she seemed better. Guess you really cheered her up."

"I hope so." Pinkie had been petting Gummy for a few minutes, and held him closer as she spoke. "I just want her to be happy."

Rainbow Dash tilted her head. "Whaddaya mean by that?"

Was that phrased wrong? It wasn't unusual to say things like that, right? "W-well, I wouldn't want her to be  _unhappy._ She's my friend, and she always, always makes _me_ really happy, so if I couldn't return the favor it wouldn't be fair."

"Isn't that how you treat everypony?"

"I guess, but...Twilight's just so special and important, and if I ever made  _her_ unhappy--"

"Wait." Rainbow Dash lowered herself, her eyes widening as she seemed to come to a sudden realization. "Ohhh my gosh..." She grinned and lifted herself again, her wings flapping rapidly. "Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh!"

It was lucky that the door to the balcony wasn't too tightly shut, or else Rainbow Dash would've crashed right through it as she sped out. Right away, Pinkie hopped from her bed to call after her from the swung-open door. "Where're you going?"

Rainbow Dash either didn't hear her or didn't care, but Pinkie got her answer once her eyes followed the rainbow trail toward Sweet Apple Acres.

Pinkie was the tiniest bit paranoid about letting something slip, but if Rainbow Dash noticed then she'd probably go to Twilight instead. Maybe she'd suddenly remembered something she needed to do at Sweet Apple Acres? It had to be something really fun for her to get so excited. Pinkie wanted to be a part of it, but maybe it'd be intrusive. They hadn't invited her, after all.

There wasn't much she could do right now, so Pinkie returned to cuddling with Gummy. "What do you think she did _that_ for, Gummy?" she asked. The thought of Rainbow Dash spilling the beans about Pinkie's crush came back. It'd be rude of her to do that. If ponies are going to spill beans, they should only spill their own. Rainbow Dash wouldn't be so inconsiderate, but she'd looked very excited, so if Pinkie was right, then she wouldn't think before speaking.

"But then why would she tell Applejack?" Actually, there wasn't really a guarantee that she was going to see Applejack specifically. Applejack just happened to live at the place Rainbow Dash was going to. Maybe Twilight was there too. She had said that she'd be busy today.

Of course. Why did it take so long to occur to her that Twilight probably wasn't even home?

"I'll be right back, Gummy," she said hastily before jumping toward the door. "If Dashie comes back, just tell her I'm looking for her, okay?"

Gummy blinked affirmatively.

"Thank you!" She left him to wait on the bed as she bounded down the stairs.

* * *

By the time Pinkie Pie reached the barn, Rainbow Dash was nowhere to be seen. Applejack, as usual, _was_ somewhere to be seen. Specifically, she was bucking trees in the orchard. It looked like she was nearly done, which was impressive, considering it wasn't even noon.

Applejack caught her eye and grinned as Pinkie waved frantically at her. She leaned against an apple tree, like she was expecting to wait for Pinkie to race up to her.

"Did Rainbow Dash come by here?" Pinkie asked. It was rude to ask that without saying hello, but this was important.

Applejack didn't seem to mind the bad manners. She shrugged as she answered, "Only for a second. She turned right around just as I was sayin' howdy. Is she runnin' from ya?"

"No, she's flying from me. I thought she was gonna come here to tell you..." Pinkie knew that Applejack knew the truth, but it was still flustering to say it out loud. "I think I accidentally talked about Twilight too much," she decided to say.

She expected Applejack to roll her eyes or something, but she just chuckled warmly and nudged her hat. "If it's that obvious, I'm thinkin' you wanna tell Twilight yerself."

"I think Rainbow Dash is gonna do it anyway. Maybe she's looking for Twilight."

"Well, Twi's not here anymore--"

"Anymore?" Pinkie's ears perked up. "She was here?"

"Yup." Applejack wrung one of her front legs around the other and raised her eyes in thought. "Can't say what for, though."

"Why not?"

"It was private. I'm sure she'll tell ya eventually, though."

So Twilight was keeping a secret, too? What would that mean? Was it being kept from Pinkie specifically? She wanted to ask why Applejack thought Twilight would eventually tell her, but that was probably part of the secret.

Wouldn't there only be one reason, though? It felt wrong, but Pinkie said it anyway. "Does she like me that way too?"

"I'm startin' to think so." Applejack gave a smirk. Not an arrogant smirk, more like a friendly teasing smirk. "You got a date with her tomorrow, anyhow. If ya fancy I can give you some pointers."

It wasn't planned as a date, but Pinkie couldn't help but see it that way. Still, it would be inconsiderate if it were a surprise date if she wasn't totally sure how Twilight felt. Maybe Pinkie could just pretend to be dating. She had a good enough imagination. Even if she couldn't kiss Twilight or confess everything to her, she'd feel most of the happiness that would come from a real date. It would be a secret happiness.

Even that was risky, though, wasn't it? If Pinkie wasn't careful, that secret happiness would boil up inside her and it would ruin everything.

"I don't want to overwhelm her," she finally replied. "It's not a real date. But I'm gonna end up thinking it is and I'm gonna say something stupid."

"Nah...I don't think so." Applejack seemed genuine, but there was an unmistakable layer of hesitation. "You wouldn't've worried about that stuff before, this ain't any different."

That wasn't true. It wasn't a lie, because Applejack seemed to really believe it. She wasn't so far off, either. Pinkie hadn't thought a lot about ruining everything and doing something stupid until after it was all over.

Like when Pinkie forced Twilight to bottle up Rarity and Fluttershy's secrets, because she thought it would be good for their friendships. Or when Pinkie made Princess Luna doubt herself for being too frightening, because she thought everyone was having fun. She was always messing everything up and she never even noticed until it was far too late.

Well, maybe "never" was an exaggeration. Pinkie did figure it out sometimes. She let it slip a little one day, that she made a mistake and let everypony down because she was nothing but a failure. Twilight was the first one to tell her that she was wrong. She seemed so compassionate at the time, but it later occured to Pinkie that Twilight was probably just pitying her.

"I have to  _start_ worrying," she said, "or else I'll keep messing everything up."

Of course, Applejack asked, "What are ya talkin' about?"

Pinkie really hated this feeling of guilt and shame. She hung her head, hoping that staring at the soil-tinted grass would make things better somehow. "You know what I mean. I always ruin everything."

"Aw, chin up." Applejack lifted Pinkie's head up with her hoof, forcing Pinkie to make eye contact with her. "We all screw things up one time or another. Yer not a bad pony for that."

"Maybe..." It was harder for Pinkie to talk when her jaw was being held on to, but she managed. "But this is  _so_ important, and if I mess up now I'll ruin her life or something."

"Don't fret so much, hon. Twi's known ya too long to hold a grudge about anything." She released Pinkie, trusting her to keep looking up at her. "'Sides..." With a wink she added, "I think it'll go much smoother than ya think."

"Because you think Twilight likes me back?" Pinkie guessed.

"Mm-hmm!" Applejack nodded with absolute confidence. "Trust me on this one, Pinkie. Tomorrow's gonna go just fine."

At first Pinkie thought it was just wishful thinking, but Applejack was too unquestionably sure of herself for her words not to have at least a little truth to them. Pinkie had already tried not to get her hopes up, but suddenly she wasn't sure she could even keep still at the thought of Twilight liking her the same way. 

It was thanks to Applejack that Pinkie felt better, so she thanked her the only way she knew how. She hugged her extremely tight. Applejack let out a short sound of surprise, but quickly returned the favor. She had strong, sturdy forelegs that made Pinkie feel safe.

Pinkie liked this hug so much that it gave her enough time to remember why she came here in the first place.

With a cry she tore herself away from Applejack. "I have to figure out where Rainbow Dash is!" she announced, to no one in particular, although technically to Applejack since she was right next to her and nopony else was around. In a breath she told Applejack, more directly, "Thanks Applejack see you later!" before taking off.

* * *

If Pinkie Pie wanted to find Rainbow Dash, she'd have to investigate. In this case, "investigate" was another word for "go up to everyone you see and ask if they've seen Rainbow Dash." She could just connect the clues on her own like a detective, which was very fun to do, but she had a feeling that she couldn't risk much time. Asking everypony in town was way easier, especially since Rainbow Dash had a very noticeable rainbow trail whenever she was flying super fast. From what Pinkie understood, Rainbow Dash spent about eighty-seven percent of her time flying super fast. Naturally, it didn't take long for Pinkie to learn that Rainbow Dash was last seen at Twilight Sparkle's castle.

Then Pinkie realized that she probably would've come to the same conclusion if she'd just remembered that Twilight left Sweet Apple Acres before Rainbow Dash arrived for a few seconds and immediately left. And that Pinkie had been worried about Rainbow Dash noticing Pinkie's secret and gossiping about it to Twilight in the first place. Oh well. That just meant she had more evidence.

Pinkie was going to head to the castle, but then she thought over what Applejack had told her. She tried not to believe that Twilight returned her feelings, but her heart was always too optimistic and she couldn't help hoping and even fantasizing a little. If Twilight reciprocated, and Rainbow Dash told her that Pinkie was in love with her...wouldn't that be a good thing? It'd be a reassurance for Twilight, right? 

And then, their lunch tomorrow really  _would_ be a date. It'd have two ponies being in love with each other. That was all a date really needed.

Instead of barging into Twilight's castle to search for Rainbow Dash, Pinkie found herself skipping and bouncing back to Sugarcube Corner and up to her bedroom, where Gummy rested in the exact same position in the exact same spot on her bed.

Pinkie couldn't help but share the good news. "I think she likes me too, Gummy!" she exclaimed.

Gummy blinked with intrigue.

Pinkie threw herself onto the bed to sit beside Gummy and explain. "I mean, that's what Applejack said. And, honestly, she's totally hiding something. I know because she said so. So the 'something' is probably that Twilight likes me. And normally I would try not to jump to conclusions but she sounded abso-tutely-lutely sure that Twilight has a crush on me too, and she was winking and stuff, like she's Twilight's wing-mare."

In response, Gummy blinked twice.

"I know!" Pinkie agreed. "This is the best!"

She got an idea. She'd made a cake with Twilight for Applejack's birthday party. And now she had a date with Twilight tomorrow. Dates were like tiny, romantic parties, so treats were necessary.

"Come with me, Gummy!" Pinkie knew Gummy was slow, so she just pulled him over her shoulder as she jumped from the bed. "We're gonna make date cupcakes!"


	6. Friday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hewwo...i hope i did okay and i didn't miss too many embarrassing typos...thanks for being patient enough to read up to this point haha

Twilight Sparkle liked red velvet cupcakes. Pinkie Pie didn't even need to look at her notes to know that. She did anyway, in case Twilight had changed her mind recently and Pinkie had forgotten all about it. She hadn't. She didn't need to make very many, since it was only going to be the two of them, and they were going to eat other things, too. She'd made sure to pack some biscuits and fruit. She arranged it in her saddlebags in a way that probably wouldn't put the treats at risk of falling over each other.

Twilight had only told her once where they were going to meet, so it was lucky that Pinkie remembered. She  _didn't_ remember if Twilight ever gave her a time, but going to her castle at eleven-thirty seemed like a safe choice. Twilight was already waiting, sitting and staring down at the grass near the front of the castle, the same way she always did with interesting books. Pinkie couldn't really see her face, but she seemed pretty pensive. Maybe she needed more time to finish thinking about whatever she was thinking about, but Pinkie didn't know what that would be, so she didn't know what the consequences of thinking about it too long would be either.

If Twilight thought too long about certain things, she'd get herself too worked up and it'd ruin her day. It was better safe than sorry. Obviously, the best--and funnest--course of action was to tackle her to the ground and hug her.

"Hi, Twilight!" she laughed, as Twilight let out a short startled yelp. Twilight was probably used to being startled all the time, though, so she relaxed quickly and returned the hug.

It took a couple of moments for Pinkie to remember to let go of Twilight.

Once they were apart, Twilight's eyes seemed a little brighter. She stepped aside to reveal a small picnic basket. "Did I tell you that it was going to be a picnic?"

"I dunno, but it doesn't matter!" Pinkie hugged Twilight again, only for a second this time. "I love picnics!"

"Let's go, then. I already have a spot picked out." Twilight started to open her wings, then shut them back against her body with a sheepish smile. "Oh, I-I don't think flying would work," she stammered.

Personally, Pinkie didn't mind clinging to Twilight while they both tried to keep their lunch steady during a flight, but she figured it was too risky for this situation.

"We can just walk," she said. "It's not far, is it?"

"No, it's not," Twilight answered. Her smile was more relaxed now. She was adorable when she was embarrassed, but Pinkie still loved to see her show happiness like this. As long as it wasn't forced or evil, all smiles were good smiles in her book.

Although, a forced evil smile would probably just look silly. Silly things were usually good. But it would still be forced, so it was on thin ice.

They didn't say much for the first half of the walk. Pinkie didn't like that. She loved spending time with Twilight, so usually silence was tolerable, but for some reason this silence felt so stiff and nervewracking. It wasn't as if Pinkie could talk about what she did the day before, could she? It would either reveal her secret or force Twilight to reveal hers. That wasn't necessary right now. 

Although, Twilight could just say that she had a secret without saying what it was.

"What did you do yesterday?" Pinkie asked, hoping this was a casual enough question.

Of course, Twilight flinched slightly at this and fumbled. "I-I was...busy..."

"Is it a secret?"

"I'll tell you when we get there."

Twilight really trusted her enough to tell Pinkie her secret? Wow! Pinkie let out her excitement in a single leap, which was usually a harmless habit, but she didn't want to make Twilight think that Pinkie was happy about the awkwardness she was clearly feeling, so out loud she had to clarify, "It's like a quest, to a picnic  _and_ finding out what you did yesterday!"

Twilight relaxed a little, giving a small sigh of laughter. "Well, I-I didn't set up the picnic beforehand. In case it rained or anything."

"You could've asked Rainbow Dash," Pinkie pointed out. "She has the whole weather schedule, doesn't she?"

"I thought it'd be too pushy," Twilight explained. "And she could change her mind, or forget, or fail to convince the other pegasi. There's also the risk of food spoiling, or wild animals stealing it."

The pause that followed gave Pinkie Pie enough time to actually check their surroundings again. Twilight had led her to an area full of low hills with yellowed grass. They'd been here before. This is where they'd watched the sunrise. Or, rather, where Twilight had watched the sunrise, and where Pinkie had watched Twilight watch the sunrise.

Pinkie turned her eyes back to Twilight. "Do you like these hills a lot?"

Twilight nodded. "It's just so spacious. I'm surprised nopony's tried to build anything here."

"Yeah, like in all those books where they try to build a big ugly factory in a park and the main character has to save nature."

"Exactly!" Twilight was smiling again. She was so pretty when she got excited. "That kind of cliché gets on my nerves, honestly! They usually don't even handle it realistically!" Twilight obviously knew much more about this subject than Pinkie did, so Pinkie just listened. That was okay sometimes. Twilight had a cute voice, so naturally it was even cuter when she talked for a long time. "I know development on natural areas is a problem, but whoever writes these stories clearly doesn't understand it! It has a lot more to do with preserving culture and the environment than some supervillain who doesn't think flowers are pretty!"

The idea of a flower-hating supervillain was too amusing not to act out. Pinkie ran over to the nearest flower--it was actually a baby dandelion, but that wouldn't really matter in the long run--and said in the gruffest voice she could muster, "Grr, this nature  _disgusts_ me! This flower has disgraced me for the last time!" As planned, Twilight burst into giggles. Pinkie wanted to make that last, so she continued. She rubbed her hooves together evilly and cackled, "Soon, these dumb flowers will be crushed underneath my  _capitalism factory!_ I will  _defeat_ this flower  _once and for all_!"

Once Twilight was finished giggling with her, they headed to the top of the closest hill and set up their picnic. Twilight had brought a lot more than Pinkie did, but she seemed okay with it. "I guess I always prepare too much," she laughed, rolling out the red-white checkered blanket. "This is fine, right?"

"It's fantastic!" Pinkie enthusiastically assured her. She was about to jump at her to hug her again, but she was busy pulling out utensils for them. She'd brought just two of everything. It was silly to blush at that, but the way Twilight was arranging everything just made it seem more like a date. She waited until they'd set up everything to eagerly remind her, "You have to tell me the secret now! That's the end of the journey!"

"You first."

What was that supposed to mean? Pinkie hadn't mentioned any secret. The only secret she had was what she felt for Twilight. Is that what Twilight was expecting to hear? It'd be really awkward if it  _wasn't,_ and she ended up saying it anyway.

"If you know I have a secret," Pinkie said, hoping for some kind of reassurance, "then wouldn't you know what it is?"

Twilight nonchalantly began cutting into her sandwich with a plastic knife. "I just wanted to know what you did yesterday," she said. Was her voice quieter than before? "It might...make me feel a little better about telling you."

Now, what did  _that_ imply? 

All Pinkie knew right now was that Twilight had gone to see Applejack in the morning, and something she'd said or done made Applejack think that Twilight, miraculously, reciprocated Pinkie's feelings. Other than that, the exact things Twilight said were being kept secret by Applejack. 

Pinkie had already thought that this meant what she'd hoped it meant, but now she was starting to doubt how safe it was to come to that conclusion. What else could it mean, though? She couldn't think of any other possibility.

She didn't have any excuse not to say it now, but every second closer to that moment horrified her more and more. She knew she was probably just being overdramatic, but that didn't stop her heart from beating so rapidly. It didn't stop her from nearly forgetting to breathe. It didn't stop her from feeling restrained by walls she didn't see. Was she about to faint? She really didn't want to faint right now. The pony she had a huge crush on was sitting  _right there._ It'd be really inconvenient for both of them if Pinkie was too nervous to say this one thing.

Before she could completely lose sight of anything, she felt Twilight against her. She knew it had to be Twilight because of her fluffed wings wrapping around her, somehow still having a chilly touch underneath all the feathers.

"It's fine, Pinkie," she murmured. Their embace lasted for a long time. It felt like fifteen minutes, but it was probably just one. After however many minutes it was, Twilight pulled away so that their muzzles nearly touched. Twilight's gaze was soft and sincere. She kept her voice quiet when she spoke again. "I know what it is. I still want to hear you say it."

If Twilight knew, and she was still being so kind and patient, did that mean she accepted it?

Pinkie only held her gaze long enough to say, "I love you," before falling back against her.

Twilight's only response was to pull her into a hug again. Pinkie didn't know what to do now that the truth had escaped. She'd expected to feel relief or worry or  _something_ other than cluelessness. Was she supposed to say something else? Was she supposed to directly ask Twilight to be her girlfriend? Was she really worth that much attention?

When Pinkie took a second to stop trying to figure out what to do, she realized just how calm Twilight was being. She'd asked to hear the words. She'd expected this to happen, didn't she?

"How did you know?" Pinkie tried not to move too much when she asked. She didn't want to leave Twilight's side yet. Twilight didn't move a lot either. Maybe that was the sign of a mutual feeling.

"I found out on Tuesday," Twilight revealed. "I got worried when you ran away from me, so after a few minutes I went to check on you and I..." She squirmed before tightening her embrace. "I heard you tell Applejack. And then I needed to leave for a while to think about how to handle it."

Well, that seemed obvious now that Pinkie thought about it. After all, Twilight was too empathetic not to follow her if she was worried, and  _somepony_ at the birthday party probably ended up overhearing the conversation from behind the barn.

That was pretty careless of her, wasn't it?

"The day after that," Twilight continued, "I thought, maybe...I could be happy with it. So I told Rainbow Dash to tell you to come over so I could find out. And, well...I was right."

"What were you right about?" There was no point trying to keep Pinkie's hopes from flying high.

"I was right about loving you."

After hearing that spoken so genuinely, Pinkie stopped caring about what she needed to do. Her hopes weren't hopes anymore. They burst into bright fireworks of elation. Pinkie snuggled as deep as she could into Twilight, so that she could hear her steady pulse and her calming words.

"I was telling the truth when I said that you always make me happy." Twilight lowered her head to nuzzle her.

"Will being girlfriends make you happy, too?"

Pinkie wasn't trying to be so direct. It occured to her too late that she probably was anyway. Twilight didn't seem to mind, though. Her answer held no hesitation. "It would make me overjoyed, Pinkie. And I want to share that with you."

Pinkie really didn't want to let go of her, let go of this. She wanted to stay wrapped in loving wings as long as possible, but she also wanted to leap away and let out her enthusiasm somehow, and then declare to the world that it was true, that Twilight loved her back. She didn't care if no one would hear it or if everyone would hear it. She had to express it somehow.

All Pinkie could manage was to squeeze Twilight tight and repeat her confession. "I love you so much, Twilight!"

"I love you too."

They finally managed to separate before there was a chance for any of their lunch to get ruined somehow. Pinkie wanted it to stay unruined, but she couldn't just keep still at a time like this. She limited herself to just stim by flapping around her front hooves.

"I told Applejack yesterday," Twilight said, "that I heard what you said to her. And I wanted to know what she'd think if we started dating. She said she'd like it."

That didn't sound like Applejack's manner of speaking. "Did she say it'd be dandy?"

"She did say that," Twilight admitted with a laugh. "And then I went home to plan for today. Then Rainbow Dash barged in on me saying that she thought you had a crush on me."

It was incredibly lucky that Twilight accepted her feelings, because apparently Pinkie wasn't good at hiding them. That was one of the things she'd worried about, and she was right about it. What about her other fears? "Is she okay with it?"

"Oh, of course. She was really rooting for me to talk to you about it." She stopped to chew and swallow a bit of her sandwich, then asked, "Why? Are you worried somepony wouldn't be?"

Pinkie couldn't judge the validation of how she felt, but if she was able to truly express how she thought of Twilight, she could admit this, too. "I don't want us to all stop being friends."

Twilight only nodded. She wasn't looking up at her anymore, and her eyebrows almost seemed scrunched up in faint worry. Oh, no, did Pinkie make her upset? That was the  _opposite_ of what she wanted.

"B-but it probably won't happen!" Pinkie added quickly, even if she knew that she couldn't really take it back. "There's nothing wrong with loving you, right? I mean, um, everypony loves you anyway, so, um..."

She didn't know where to go with this. She couldn't come up with anything before Twilight interrupted, "I'm scared about that too."

"Why would anypony not want to be  _your_ friend?" Pinkie demanded. "You're a beautiful princess who's smarter and cuter and more grown-up than the whole world, who wouldn't like that about you?"

That was a hypothetical question. Pinkie knew about that unicorn magician, Trixie, who really got on Twilight's nerves, and vice versa, but she wasn't relevant to any of this.

"I don't want anypony to think that I think less of them just because I have a different kind of love for you." Twilight looked up again, her eyes more trusting and calm. "That's how I've always thought of it. I love my friends, I just love  _you_ differently. But...I can't really explain it well to every single pony who asks..."

"We could keep it a secret," Pinkie suggested, then immediately rejected her own idea. "But I don't want to keep you secret."

"I don't either."

Another pause passed, with nothing but a weak breeze or two and an occasional chorus of birds chirping in the distance. Pinkie didn't know how to fix this. She hated not knowing how to fix things. If she couldn't make the love of her life happy, she wasn't worth anything. She had to think of  _something._

"I think it'll be okay." She didn't, really, but a part of her knew that everything had a happy ending in one way or another. What could be a happier ending than one spent with Twilight Sparkle? "I trusted you enough to say all that, so..." She felt her embarrassment show through a smile. "I can trust you to help make things better if it goes a little wrong, right?"

Twilight took a second to release a sigh through a relieved grin. "I was worried I'd rely on you too much," she confessed. "You always make me happy. I didn't want to feel like I was just using you. I didn't want to feel like I never did anything for you."

"Are you  _kidding_?" Pinkie, in what was apparently a force of habit today, leaped at Twilight to wrap her forelegs around her. "You wouldn't be princess if you never did anything, silly goose! And you always make me happy too!"

Twilight, as Pinkie hoped every time she tackled her like this, held her in a tight hug. She laughed softly, and it sounded so wonderful right now. At this point, it was sure to always sound like the most beautiful song. "I'm glad we can be happier together."

The sun seemed a little brighter, the clouds parted like curtains to shed light on this show of their love. It was very comforting to think that the world would be willing to see it after all. Pinkie was going to kiss Twilight on the cheek, but she changed her mind. She'd never kissed Twilight before. It wouldn't be a proper first kiss if Twilight wasn't ready to return it, and it felt too early to ask. Instead, Pinkie just nuzzled her for a second and agreed, "Yeah, me too."

The rest of their lunchtime was spent as any other lunchtime, just casual chatter with a hint of flirting here and there. Twilight pointed out how colorful the autumn leaves were becoming, which made Pinkie think a little about Sunday, when they'd been in this hilly area together.

"Remember when you showed me the sunrise?" Pinkie asked, opening her mini box of cupcakes to share.

"Of course," Twilight answered, then winced. "That...that wasn't too boring, was it? I've just always loved the sunrise, and I guess I thought I ought to share it with you, but..." Twilight trailed off and shifted her hooves uncomfortably.

It took a moment for Pinkie to explain, because she had to comprehend that even before Pinkie had recognized her own crush, Twilight thought to share her joy with her. But she could think about how flattered she was later. "I actually didn't watch the sunrise."

Twilight looked up again to silently tilt her head in confusion.

"I tried, but I noticed that you looked  _really_ happy about the sunrise, and you're already so pretty and you're even prettier when you're happy, plus the light from the sunrise kind of made you look a little glow-y, so..."

There wasn't a way Pinkie could really conclude this, but she probably didn't need to. Twilight's cheeks grew red and she started to giggle. She shook her head and opened her wings to hide her face. "I can't imagine how much you'll embarass me when there's other ponies around," she laughed, muffled slightly by her feathers.

Well, that was all the more reason to prepare her, right? Pinkie stood beside Twilight, then lifted herself onto her hind legs and gestured wildly to her girlfriend. "Hello, world! Twilight Sparkle is really pretty and cute and I love her!" she announced, hoping her voice would carry over the empty hills. This, of course, prompted Twilight to turn into a giggling, beet-red mess. Probably the cutest mess Pinkie had ever seen.

Twilight calmed down long enough to eat the cupcake that Pinkie gave her, which then gave her cheeks time to become lavender again. When she could speak in a steady voice, she said, "We can watch the sunrise tomorrow, if you like. Maybe this time you won't be..." The smallest rosy tint showed again in her face. "...distracted."

"I think you'd be prettier than the sunrise anyway," Pinkie told her, not realizing that this counted as flirting and would make Twilight blush again. "But I'll have to see for myself. I don't know if I told you, but I haven't actually watched a sunrise in a really long time."

"You did tell me. All the more reason to take you again."

Twilight beamed at her. Again, her happiness seemed to somehow sparkle through her like a star in daylight. The colors of the sunrise would definitely be beautiful, but would they ever be able to match up to Twilight?

The only way to find out was to make sure Pinkie woke up early enough tomorrow to meet Twilight at the hills.


	7. Saturday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm nervous so ummmmmm sorry for having it be so pathetically short but i think other than that it's decent...

The night before, Pinkie Pie tried to sleep, but she'd been too caught up in the things she and Twilight had said to each other. By midnight, she'd realized that she wasn't going to get enough sleep, and just hoped that she would be lucky enough to wake up before the sunrise.

She hadn't considered the most likely possibility in which Twilight Sparkle would just fly straight into her bedroom at five-thirty in the morning.

Of course, Pinkie was still very confused and groggy, so it took a moment for her to fully realize that Twilight was sitting on her bed, lightly swinging her wings back and forth. When she did, she rubbed her eyes and leaned forward to greet her with a hug.

"Sorry, Pinkie," Twilight chuckled softly. "The curtains were closed this time, so I didn't know you were sleeping."

"No, I wanted to wake up early." Pinkie was glad that Twilight had come, but she couldn't help snuggling into her fluffy wings. It was hard not to want to fall asleep again. "You're like...a really pretty alarm clock," she murmured.

"That's not something you hear every day," Twilight giggled. "I can leave if you want to sleep instead."

Pinkie shook her head and tore away from Twilight. "This is gonna be our seventeen-hour anniversary," she pointed out, "so we have to see the sunrise."

"If you say so."

Twilight didn't even ask permission before pulling Pinkie over her shoulder, which made her laugh a little as she tried to position herself properly. "I'm not  _that_ sleepy."

"Good. I was testing you." Twilight carried her to the balcony, opened her wings and took off. Pinkie made sure to tightly latch her hooves around Twilight's breast. She closed her eyes now, because she didn't have to worry too much about falling asleep when she couldn't hear anything but a rushing wind. She liked it. It was chilly, but in a calming way, kind of like how Twilight always felt. It always got her hair messy, but she'd just woken up anyway, so it probably wouldn't make a difference.

The breeze wasn't just from clinging to a flying pony, apparently. It was also just windy outside. She didn't even realize Twilight had landed until she nudged her.

Before jumping onto the grass, Pinkie had to make sure of something. "Can I hug you when we watch the sunrise?"

"That's all I really wanted," Twilight answered.

Pinkie didn't clarify that she would also hug Twilight before and after watching the sunrise, but she didn't seem to mind anyway when Pinkie immediately cuddled against her.

"You're too soft," Pinkie complained when Twilight lifted a wing around her. "I'm gonna fall asleep before the sun comes."

"I'll wake you up," promised Twilight.

"How? Are you going to throw me down the hill?"

"No!" Twilight laughed and pulled her closer. "I'll just shake you or something."

"I think throwing me down a hill is more effective," Pinkie said with a shrug, "but, hey, whatever works."

"I'm  _not_ doing that."

They stopped talking for a little while to quietly snuggle with each other. It seemed risky, but Pinkie managed to stay awake for the sake of nuzzling her and gently headbutting her shoulder. In fact, it would probably be difficult to fall asleep anyway when every little touch Twilight shared with her sent a burst of glee through her. Every second of this was a reminder that Twilight really did love her. "This is fun," she said, as Twilight intertwined a hoof with hers. That motion made her heart jump for a second before it warmed her whole body. She leaned her head against Twilight's shoulder. "It makes me wanna kiss you."

"Does it?"

They parted just in time to see the first ray of sunshine spill over the horizon. Pinkie didn't want to miss it again, but first she wanted to look at Twilight. Instead of watching for the sun, Twilight was already looking right back at her. The sunlight was just bright enough to let Pinkie see the blush in Twilight's face as she smiled welcomingly.

"Can I?" The mere thought of what Pinkie was asking to do made her heart race, the way it'd done when she first told Twilight she was in love with her. This time, though, instead of tightening nervousness, it was excited anticipation. For once, Pinkie knew what the answer would be.

All the dreadful anxiety she'd felt that week was worth the moment she heard Twilight answer, "I want you to."

They drew close again. Twilight's wings opened to invite her. Pinkie lifted a hoof, and Twilight responded by doing the same and holding it, as if to prepare her. They glanced over at the sun slowly lifting out of the clouds, its light beginning to spread to the hills. When they looked back, Pinkie saw it begin to shimmer in Twilight's eyes. Deep, infatuated pupils circled by violet irises. The sky was turning a rosy color from the sunrise, the same color still filling Twilight's face.

"I still think you're more beautiful," Pinkie quietly decided.

Just as the light reached them, they finally shut their eyes and closed the gap once and for all.

Pinkie had never thought about just how intricate something like a kiss could be. From the outside, kisses were more straightforward. It could be a gentle push on the lips or something intensely passionate. That was the extent of what a bystander would see. It was impossible to know everything about a kiss from looking at it. If anyone else were here watching them, it'd be hard for them see how soft and cautious Twilight felt against her. They wouldn't truly know how it felt to inhale her lavender scent, how the faintest taste of vanilla slipped through, how the warmth of sunlight began to flow over them in a world that seemed unnaturally quiet, save for the simultaneous beating of their hearts and the breezy exhale through Twilight's nose as she carefully pressed her lips against Pinkie's.

It felt sort of surreal. Like the world had completely stopped just for this. Pinkie had a tiniest shred of doubt that maybe this was a hyperrealistic dream that she could never even hope to meet, but it was hard to deny the grass underneath her, and the warmth of the sun, and Twilight's loving touch.

Just like any dream, the kiss came to an end. Pinkie didn't know how kisses were supposed to end, but she had a hunch to open her eyes and release Twilight when she lowered her hoof. They were still very close, so Pinkie could see the last trace of red vanish from Twilight's face, and she saw Twilight's satisfied smile begin to peek through. 

"I didn't know I could be more sure than I already was," Twilight whispered, "that I love you."

Maybe she was supposed to expect it by now, but hearing Twilight say those words to her-- _about_ her--enthused her, and she couldn't help giggle when asking, "Am I that good of a kisser?"

"That's one way to put it." Twilight's smile suddenly faltered, and the ghost of her blush seemed to rise again when she looked away. "I just...I-I think there was something more there. I can't put my hoof on it."

Now that she mentioned it, Pinkie had the same feeling lurking in her. "I thought it was a dream for a second," Pinkie admitted. She reached over to lift Twilight's chin, prompting her to return her gaze. "But it would've been a good dream. If it was a dream, it'd be the best dream I've ever had."

Twilight smiled again, wider this time, showing the small sparkle of her teeth. "Mine too."

"Too bad it's real, right?" Pinkie was only joking, which was obvious to her, but maybe not to Twilight, so she had to extend it. "I mean, feeling pure love for everything about you and being so sure of how you feel about me would be really neat to dream about."

"Oh, I know," Twilight agreed, lifting a hoof to mask her grin. "I'd love to have a dream where I realize just how happy and liberated I am knowing that I'm genuinely in love with you and how grateful I am that you love me too."

"Yeah, and I also wanna dream about being totally _amazed_ about how good your kissing is."

"And about how soft and gentle it is to touch that way." 

"And about--" Pinkie interrupted herself with a fit of laughter. It wasn't just amusing, it was so relieving and so assuring to share this moment with Twilight. She didn't want it to end. Could she make it last longer? She wasn't tired anymore, that was for certain, but she'd probably crash later. It'd probably be best to take responsibility and sleep some more. Twilight didn't seem like she would be sleepy anytime soon, so they couldn't really have an early morning mini sleepover, but there was still something they could do.

Twilight said it first. "I can bring you back to Sugarcube Corner."

"Yes, please." Pinkie felt sheepish saying it now, but Twilight was her girlfriend--wow, she'd have to get used to saying _that_ \--so it was probably necessary. "I only slept for, like...three or four hours."

As expected, Twilight's eyes widened with fright. "Oh, that's not good!" Her wings were still open, so she just had to stand and get into mounting position. "I was gonna just walk back, but we don't have time to waste!"

"I'm not tired right  _now_ \--"

"You'll never know when it'll sneak up on you!"

Pinkie was grateful that Twilight was willing to fly her back home, and it was always a lovely experience, but she was still interested in walking. It wasn't nearly as exciting or efficient, but it gave them room for conversation. Plus, the sun had just risen, so the scenery would be kind of golden-tinted. And then Pinkie would flirt on purpose and tell Twilight the scenery still wasn't as beautiful as her, as long as it was true of course, but Pinkie was pretty sure she was right about it, so she wasn't too worried.

There would be time for that, and everything else. They were dating now, after all. Even if it took another seven days to totally take in that she was, in fact, Princess Twilight Sparkle's girlfriend, there'd still be time after that to express their love over and over in any and every way they could think of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ending chapters is one thing, but ending entire FICS? boy howdy
> 
> anyway hi, aims here, thanks for reading up to the end, stay tuned for the sequel i guess? thanks for tolerating my lesbian projection. smell ya later


End file.
